Aslef says Avanti West Coast is ‘lying’ after firm blames service cuts on strikes

theguardian.com:

The train drivers’ union Aslef has called Avanti West Coast “lying cheapskates” after the rail operator slashed its intercity timetables, blaming “unofficial strike action”.

Avanti, which runs services on the west coast mainline between London, Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow, has suspended ticket sales and said it would run as few as four trains an hour from Sunday to try to cut the growing number of short-notice cancellations experienced in recent weeks.

Trains between London Euston and Manchester will be among the worst affected, with services cut to just one an hour from every 20 minutes in a timetable now in place “until further notice”.

Echoing claims made last month by the transport secretary, Grant Shapps, that were hotly disputed by Aslef, Avanti’s managing director, Phil Whittingham, told industry colleagues that cancellations were due to the “current industrial relations climate”.

In a letter seen by the PA news agency, Whittingham wrote that the standoff had led to “severe staff shortages in some grades through increased sickness levels, as well as unofficial strike action by Aslef members”.

Aslef’s general secretary, Mick Whelan, however denied that there was any unofficial action, only the strike planned for next Saturday, during which union members would walk out for 24 hours at nine English train operators.

Whelan said of Avanti’s claims: “They are lying. Avanti does not employ enough drivers to run the services they have promised to run. There is no unofficial action. We’re on strike on 13 August.

“They are a cheapskate company that will not train enough drivers and rely on rest day working. The company is selling its customers short.

“It’s a time of year when many people are on holiday. Drivers do not have