Two days of strike action planned by members of the TSSA trade union on West Midlands Railway services for July 31 and August 1, 2026, have been suspended after further talks between the company and the union, West Midlands Railway confirmed.
Affected Routes Across the West Midlands
The planned strike would have disrupted services on multiple routes across Birmingham, the Black Country, Wolverhampton, Warwickshire, Shropshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, and Staffordshire.
Reduced timetables were scheduled for the Cross City line, extending from Lichfield Trent Valley to Redditch and Bromsgrove, as well as on the Wolverhampton to Walsall and the Rugeley Trent Valley to Birmingham International routes.
Additional impacts
were expected on lines via Birmingham Snow Hill station, the Camp Hill line, the route from Nuneaton to Leamington Spa, and services running from Birmingham New Street to Hereford and Shrewsbury.
Strike Cause and Previous Actions
The strike action had been called in response to disputes over payments related to rest day working.
TSSA members previously undertook strike action on July 11 and 12, 2026, which resulted in reduced train services across the network.
Passenger Impact and Official Comments
With the strike now suspended, West Midlands Railway will operate a full service according to its normal timetable, avoiding the planned disruptions.
Jonny Wiseman, customer experience director at West Midlands Railway,
expressed satisfaction at the cancellation of the strike, acknowledging it would have caused significant disturbance for customers.
Union Talks Prevent Disruption
The suspension follows successful last-minute negotiations between West Midlands Railway and the TSSA trade union, which have led to the reinstatement of regular services on all affected routes for the planned strike dates.
This development restores normal train operations across several counties in the West Midlands region, including Birmingham and neighboring areas.
