but it adds up to another fascinating and enthralling day at this world cup again. john fascinating and enthralling day at this world cup again. john watson in doha, thank this world cup again. john watson in doha, thank you. let s get more now on our top story people across the uk will face more travel disruption as railway unions intensify strike action. last night, the rmt union confirmed more walk outs in december and january. the union wants a pay offer reflecting the rising cost of living. joining me now is a rail expert and writer from the modern railways magazine. tony miles, thank you forjoining us. what is going to get this sorted? this has been going on for months. everybody wants a resolution. what will get it sorted? possibly and a locking of the two simultaneous rules the government has set will be the only way forward. they could have been a pay deal done in april at a very low
companies and network rail. quite a lot of work has been done. and i want to try and work with both sides to try to help them get that over the line. but will you.? on behalf of the travelling public and the taxpayer. but as the secretary of state, will you give the companies flexibility to make offers, to have a proper backwards and forwards? because that is what has to happen here, isn t it? you have to budge so the companies can then budge. what has to happen is we have to agree on a set of reforms. it s the reforms that free up the savings that then unlock the ability for the companies to make an offer to the trade unions on pay. i m joined now by rail expert and managing editor of rail magazine, nigel harris. we have the transport secretary saying it is very important that reforms happen before any conversation about the pay can be had. just talk to us about what reforms he is talking about and how controversial they might be. because there is a number of disputes but also a numbe
to have to show that they can do that. but if they can t, then they should have the contract removed. it s as simple as that. avanti has said drivers who are members of the aslef union have been refusing to do overtime, which has put pressure on services. the union denies this, accusing the company of a lack of recruitment. rail expert tony miles says there s no quick fix. there s a fundamental problem. the railways, right back to british rail days, have relied on train crew working overtime to make up the numbers. if they want to do away with that, it s going to take years to recruit additional workers. if they want them to work their overtime, at the moment, that means the government s going to have to get involved in sorting out the industrial disputes. for passengers on avanti trains they ll be hoping the issues can be solved sooner rather than later. we ve been hearing a lot from passengers about avanti in the last few days. they re talking about crowded trains, having to stand fo
the news that the company s managing director has stood down, but says the government must now step in to ensure services are restored. the new prime minister needs to instruct the transport secretary to sit down with the mayor of london, to sit down with myself, the company and the unions to sort this out. i would rather get the trains back as quickly as possible, and if they are prepared to do that, then they re in there in the last chance saloon, but they re going to have to show that they can do that. but if they can t, then they should have the contract removed. it s as simple as that. avanti has said drivers who are members of the aslef union have been refusing to do overtime, which has put pressure on services. the union denies this, accusing the company of a lack of recruitment. rail expert tony miles says there s no quick fix. there s a fundamental problem. the railways, right back to british rail days, have relied on train crew working overtime to make up the numbers. if they
as quickly as possible, and if they are prepared to do that, then they re in there in the last chance saloon, but they re going to have to show that they can do that. but if they can t, then they should have the contract removed. it s as simple as that. avanti has said drivers who are members of the aslef union have been refusing to do overtime, which has put pressure on services. the union denies this, accusing the company of a lack of recruitment. rail expert tony miles says there s no quick fix. there s a fundamental problem. the railways, right back to british rail days, have relied on train crew working overtime to make up the numbers. if they want to do away with that, it s going to take years to recruit additional workers. if they want them to work their overtime, at the moment, that means the government s going to have to get involved in sorting out the industrial disputes. for passengers on avanti trains they ll be hoping the issues can be solved sooner rather than later. we v