As we race towards Christmas, Britain’s won’t be coming any time soon as the next series of train strikes begin.
Thousands of personnel from the RMT (Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers), TSSA (Transport Salaried Staffs Association) and Aslef (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen) will begin planned actions today, with strikes expected to last into the new year.
RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch has demanded a meeting with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to end the ongoing standoff.
The continued action comes as union leaders agree that the current state of affairs for many workers represents the worst pay cut people have seen since the 1970s.
Railway unions have threatened to go on strike well into the winter over what they consider to be unacceptable wage offers from railway companies backed by the government.
There are no trains in many areas, and some intercity routes between London and Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh have no direct services at all.
– Avanti west coast
Avanti West Coast strongly advises passengers to travel by train on December 24 and 27 only if absolutely necessary.
On Christmas Eve, the trains depart significantly earlier than usual and a much later start is expected on December 27.
You can check train times online.
– Chiltern Railways
According to their website, train services will be severely disrupted. The trains that will run are:
- One train per hour Marylebone – stations to Oxford Parkway (and vice versa)
- One train per hour Marylebone – stations to Banbury (and vice versa)
- One train per hour Marylebone – stations to Aylesbury (via High Wycombe, and vice versa)
- One train per hour Aylesbury Vale Parkway – stations to Amersham (and vice versa)
- One bus per hour Banbury – Leamington Spa – Warwick – Warwick Parkway – Dorridge (and vice versa; connecting WMT trains to/from Birmingham)
- Warwick Parkway – Hatton – Lapworth – Dorridge bus every two hours (and vice versa; connecting WMT trains to/from Birmingham).
– Cross Country
CrossCountry services cease at noon on Christmas Eve.
– Gatwick Express
On Christmas Eve, services end much earlier than usual, with the last trains departing around noon on many routes.
Passengers should only travel if absolutely necessary.
– Great Western Railway
Trains will finish much earlier than usual on Christmas Eve, and customers will need to complete their journey before lunchtime.
Only travel if absolutely necessary on Christmas Eve.
– Great Anglia
The last trains of the day usually finish earlier than usual on Christmas Eve. The trains will finish their journey for the day at 4:00 PM.
Customers are advised not to travel if possible.
– Heathrow Express
Services are interrupted on Christmas Eve.
- Last train from Paddington: 3:25pm
- Last train from Terminal 5: 3:12 PM
- Last train from Heathrow Central Terminals 2 and 3: 3:17 PM
– Hull trains
A revised timetable is available online.
– London North Eastern Railway
On Saturday 24 December, the last trains will run significantly earlier than usual.
Passengers are advised to check their journey online.
– London Northwestern Railway
There are no services on any of the lines after 4pm and buses will replace trains on the Abbey line throughout the day.
– North
The advice is not to travel at all, but you can view a modified timetable online.
– Southeast
According to their website, trains across the entire network close at 3 p.m. and the last trains depart at 12 p.m. on many routes.
– Southern
Services end much earlier than usual, with the last trains departing around noon on many routes.
They advise to travel only if absolutely necessary. There are also no trains running via Catford due to works.
– Stansted Express
Stansted Express has advised customers not to travel. The last scheduled train from London Liverpool Street is 2:58pm and 2:42pm from Stansted Airport.
– Transpennin Express
Customers are advised not to travel where possible as the service has a significantly reduced timetable.
– Transport to Wales
On Christmas Eve, services begin to close early. Check your trip online before you leave.
– West Midlands Railway
No trains run on any of the routes after 4:00 PM.
Meanwhile, several other strikes follow in December.
MORE : When are the Border Force strikes and which airports are affected?
MORE: This Christmas could be one of the worst ever for the NHS, health chiefs warn
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