Two days of rail strike action planned for July 31 and August 1, 2026, by the TSSA trade union affecting West Midlands Railway services have been suspended. The strike would have impacted services across the West Midlands Railway network, covering Birmingham, the Black Country, Warwickshire, Shropshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, and Staffordshire.
Rest Day Working Payments Dispute and Affected Routes
The strike was called over a dispute regarding payments for rest day working. If it had gone ahead, it would have disrupted services on the Cross City line from Lichfield Trent Valley to Redditch and Bromsgrove, Wolverhampton to Walsall, and Rugeley Trent Valley to Birmingham International.
Other affected routes would
have included all lines via Birmingham Snow Hill, the Camp Hill line, Nuneaton to Leamington Spa, and trains from Birmingham New Street to Hereford and Shrewsbury.
Strike Suspension and Service Continuity
Following further talks between West Midlands Railway and the TSSA union, the strike planned for Friday and Saturday was called off. As a result, a full West Midlands Railway service with a normal timetable will operate without disruption.
Jonny Wiseman, customer experience director at West Midlands Railway, said the company was “pleased at the suspension, as it would have been disruptive for customers.”
Earlier strike action by the TSSA took place on July 11 and 12, 2026, reducing services across West Midlands Railway routes.
