Commuters are left stranded - Chronicle Live
NewsCommuters are left strandedCommuters were left stranded as striking workers brought the Metro system to a halt today. ShareByEvening Chronicle00:00, 6 MAR 2004Updated02:59, 28 FEB 2013News ShareGet daily updates directly to your inbox+ SubscribeThank you for subscribing!Could not subscribe, try again laterInvalid EmailCommuters were left stranded as striking workers brought the Metro system to a halt today. Nexus bosses put up notices in stations across Tyneside informing passengers of the 24-hour strike supposed to start at 7pm yesterday. But services started winding down hours before and the last trains left the city centre at around 6.15pm. Passengers expecting another 45 minutes to catch trains faced a last-minute rush to get home. One commuter said: "I hadn't planned on coming to the station this early but it's a good job I did. "If they said seven why don't they mean seven?" Father-of-two Michael Greenwood was on his way back to Tynemouth when he almost missed the last Metro. The 31-year-old said: "What kind of service is this? They can't even strike on time." Strike action was taken after a row between Nexus, who run the Metro, and unions RMT and Amicus over pay and conditions. The volume of traffic across Tyneside increased as commuters took to the roads in a bid to get home. The strike was due to end at 7pm today. A further 24-hour strike kicks off at 7pm tomorrow causing chaos for thousands of Monday-morning workers. And football fans will have to find an alternative mode of transport for Sunderland's FA Cup clash with Sheffield United at the Stadium of Light. The match starts at 4.05pm tomorrow but services in Sunderland are set to shut two hours before at 2pm. Police advised fans to use trains which will be running every half hour from Sunderland's main station. Metro director Ken Mackay said: "Once again trade unions have cynically targeted commuters, football fans, shoppers and families to maximise disruption to the travelling public while minimising disruption to their own members. "We extend our sincerest apologies that we cannot offer a service to the public during this period of industrial dispute." But union boss Stan Herschel hit back claiming that services could have been run for longer during the action. The RMT regional organiser said: "Under the notification of strike dates and times, then Metro management could quite easily have provided a full service until at least 9pm on both days. "This would have allowed all football supporters of Sunderland and Sheffield to travel by Metro to and from the Stadium of Light." Mr Herschel said his members were locked out by Metro bosses as soon as the strike started. He said: "This is an act of desperation by management." Travel advice Commuters are being advised to find alternative transport during the 24-hour strikes. Extra buses are being laid on and trains are still operating. Useful numbers include Traveline on 0870 608 2 608. The National Rail Enquiries is on 08457 48 49 50. Normal service is set to resume on Monday evening.Like us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterDaily NewsletterFollow @ChronicleLiveSubscribe to our Daily newsletterEnter emailSubscribe
Commuters are left stranded - Chronicle Live
NewsCommuters are left strandedCommuters were left stranded as striking workers brought the Metro system to a halt today. ShareByEvening Chronicle00:00, 6 MAR 2004Updated02:59, 28 FEB 2013News ShareGet daily updates directly to your inbox+ SubscribeThank you for subscribing!Could not subscribe, try again laterInvalid EmailCommuters were left stranded as striking workers brought the Metro system to a halt today. Nexus bosses put up notices in stations across Tyneside informing passengers of the 24-hour strike supposed to start at 7pm yesterday. But services started winding down hours before and the last trains left the city centre at around 6.15pm. Passengers expecting another 45 minutes to catch trains faced a last-minute rush to get home. One commuter said: "I hadn't planned on coming to the station this early but it's a good job I did. "If they said seven why don't they mean seven?" Father-of-two Michael Greenwood was on his way back to Tynemouth when he almost missed the last Metro. The 31-year-old said: "What kind of service is this? They can't even strike on time." Strike action was taken after a row between Nexus, who run the Metro, and unions RMT and Amicus over pay and conditions. The volume of traffic across Tyneside increased as commuters took to the roads in a bid to get home. The strike was due to end at 7pm today. A further 24-hour strike kicks off at 7pm tomorrow causing chaos for thousands of Monday-morning workers. And football fans will have to find an alternative mode of transport for Sunderland's FA Cup clash with Sheffiel
d United at the Stadium of Light. The match starts at 4.05pm tomorrow but services in Sunderland are set to shut two hours before at 2pm. Police advised fans to use trains which will be running every half hour from Sunderland's main station. Metro director Ken Mackay said: "Once again trade unions have cynically targeted commuters, football fans, shoppers and families to maximise disruption to the travelling public while minimising disruption to their own members. "We extend our sincerest apologies that we cannot offer a service to the public during this period of industrial dispute." But union boss Stan Herschel hit back claiming that services could have been run for longer during the action. The RMT regional organiser said: "Under the notification of strike dates and times, then Metro management could quite easily have provided a full service until at least 9pm on both days. "This would have allowed all football supporters of Sunderland and Sheffield to travel by Metro to and from the Stadium of Light." Mr Herschel said his members were locked out by Metro bosses as soon as the strike started. He said: "This is an act of desperation by management." Travel advice Commuters are being advised to find alternative transport during the 24-hour strikes. Extra buses are being laid on and trains are still operating. Useful numbers include Traveline on 0870 608 2 608. The National Rail Enquiries is on 08457 48 49 50. Normal service is set to resume on Monday evening.Like us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterDaily NewsletterFollow @ChronicleLiveSubscribe to our Daily newsletterEnter emailSubscribe