Rail strike off after court injunction against union

Judge Mrs Justice Sharp made an interim order against the Rail Maritime and Transport union at a hearing in London's High Court.

Earlier, a QC representing Network Rail told her that "unlawful" strike action would cause "immense damage to the economy".

The union, which has called four days of action from next Tuesday, the day after the Easter break, strongly contested the legal move.

The judge was giving her reasons for granting the injunction.

Bob Crow, general secretary of the RMT, said: "This judgment is an attack on the whole trade union movement and twists the anti-union laws even further in favour of the bosses.

"Workers fighting for the principle of a safe railway have had the whole weight of the law thrown against them. Our executive will meet this evening with a recommendation for a re-ballot.

"Our fight for safe working practices on Britain's railways goes on."

Robin Gisby, head of operations at Network Rail, said: "The signallers' strike is off and train services next week will run as normal.

"This is good news for the millions of passengers who rely on us every day, for our freight users and for the country.

"A dispute with the unions remains, however, and we have a responsibility to our people to continue talking to the unions to find a settlement that works for us all."

Transport Secretary Lord Adonis said: "This will be a huge relief to all those who are planning on travelling on the railways next week.

"It is now vital that the two sides in this dispute get back round the table as soon as possible to negotiate a settlement and I call on them to do so."

Liberal Democrat transport spokesman Norman Baker said: "This is good news for passengers, who would have been the innocent victims of the strike.

"However, this is a temporary reprieve. It's time for Network Rail and the RMT to get back round the table. The RMT must put the problems of the railway ahead of political point-scoring."

TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: "It's becoming increasingly easy for employers, unhappy at the prospect of a dispute, to rely on the courts to intervene and nullify a democratic ballot for industrial action on a mere technicality.

"Unions will be disappointed by this latest decision.

"Disputes between employers and unions should be settled by negotiation. Today's decision in the court will simply drag the dispute out and make it more difficult to solve."

Rail customer watchdog Passenger Focus said: "Passengers will be relieved that their return to work or Easter rail travel will be strike-free.

"Three-and-a-half million passengers have been living in limbo and now at least know where they stand after days of uncertainty. Those that have already changed their plans and incurred costs will be angry."

The organisation's chief executive Anthony Smith said: "This gives the unions and Network Rail plenty of time to try and sort things out and avoid any strike action. Passengers want to see renewed efforts, not just a postponement of the pain.

"The train operators have done well to put in place contingency plans, they now need to build on these in case another strike is called.

"They must also sort out this issue of compensation for season ticket holders during a strike. It is not right that some passengers who may not wish to take the alternative option do not receive money back."

Shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers said: "While Gordon Brown and his weak Government were powerless in the face of growing union militancy, the strike laws passed by the last Conservative government have brought the country back from the brink of transport meltdown.

"This unnecessary and irresponsible strike would have been bad for passengers, bad for business and bad for the economy. Now the courts have called a halt to the strike, every effort should be made to negotiate a settlement of this dispute."