Train staff strike has 'little effect'

A strike by rail staff that was meant to bring chaos to the West Midlands hit the buffers today after workers turned up for duty as normal.

Some 204 Virgin Trains booking office staff were taking part in the 24-hour strike.

It affected 12 stations on the West Coast Main Line linking England with Scotland including Wolverhampton, Stafford and Birmingham New Street.

But all three stations were operating normally because bosses were able to use staff not represented by striking union the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA).

The union said 11 staff were on strike at Stafford and eight at Wolverhampton, with chaos expected at Preston, Coventry and London Euston where all ticket office workers are represented by the union.

The strike was called in protest at planned cutbacks to booking office window openings.

Wolverhampton, Birmingham and Stafford have staff who belong to both the TSSA and the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, whose ballot to strike was declared illegal.

Three staff were on duty in Wolverhampton today and all ticket windows were open. But the queue was still up to 30 deep at times.

Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson has delayed until next week plans to cut half an hour a day from the times off-peak tickets can be used.