More strike action starts today and will repeat into the new year (Picture: Mark Kerrison/In Pictures via Getty Images)
As we speed towards Christmas, Britain’s won’t be getting anywhere fast today as the next round of train strikes begin.
Thousands of staff across the RMT (Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers), TSSA (Transport Salaried Staffs Association) and Aslef (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen) will start planned action today, with the strikes expected to last until the new year.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch has demanded a meeting with PM Rishi Sunak to bring an end to the ongoing impasse.
The continued action comes as union bosses have agreed the current state of affairs for many workers is the worst fall in wages people have seen since the 70s.
Rail unions have threatened to continue striking deep into the winter over what it considers unacceptable pay offers from rail companies, backed by the government.
Mick Whelan, Aslef’s general secretary with Labour MP’s Dawn Butler and Barry Gardiner (Picture: PA)
No trains will run in many areas, with no direct services at all on some intercity routes between London to Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh.
– Avanti West Coast
They advise customers to only travel if necessary. Their timetable and operating hours will be reduced significantly, and any services that do run are expected to be extremely busy.
– Chiltern Railways
As per their website, for the first day of the strike, there will be:
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)No services North of Banbury,
– CrossCountry
Strikes are set to continue in the run-up to Christmas (Picture: Getty Images)
CrossCountry’s services will be severely disrupted, either running just one train per hour or no services at all.
A full breakdown of services by region can be found online.
– Gatwick Express
The advice given is ‘only travel if absolutely necessary’, as according to their website there will be limited opening hours and ‘severe disruption’.
– Great Western Railway
An extremely reduced service will operate on a limited number of routes. Some parts of the GWR network will have no service at all.
Services will start later (around 7:30am) and all journeys must be completed by 6:30pm.
– Greater Anglia
Greater Anglia has asked customers to avoid travelling with their ‘heavily reduced and disrupted’ service.
– Heathrow Express
Heathrow Express trains will run a normal service for the majority of the day, but the last trains will be earlier than usual.
The last train from Paddington will be at 6:10pm, from Heathrow Terminal 5 at 6:12pm and from Terminals 2 and 3 at 6:17pm.
Aslef General Secretary Mick Whelan (right) at a picket line at Kings Cross (Picture: PA)
Most train services across the country will be severely disrupted, if they run at all (Picture: George Cracknell Wright/LNP)
– Hull Trains
Hull Trains is not affected by the industrial action, but has warned they expect its services to be ‘very busy’. A revised timetable is available online.
– London North Eastern Railway
The LNER is running a reduced service, advising customers to check if their service is affected and how to get a refund.
– London Northwestern Railway
A very limited service will be in operation between 7am and 7pm only. Some routes will not be served.
– Northern
The advice is not to travel at all, but you can check a revised timetable online.
The picket line at Paddington Station in London (Picture: Vuk Valcic/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock)
– Southeastern
There will be reduced services on select routes between 7am and 7pm only. Check online if you need to travel.
– Southern
Only travel if absolutely necessary, as they will be running a reduced service, with services starting and finishing later than usual.
If you do travel, please check your journey and expect disruption.
– Stansted Express
Stansted Express have advised customers to avoid travelling.
– Transpennine Express
Customers are advised to avoid travelling where possible as the service will be running a significantly reduced timetable.
– Transport for Wales
There will be no train services. Do not travel.
– West Midlands Railway
A very limited service will be in operation between 7am and 7pm only. Some routes will not be served. Check online before travelling.
Meanwhile, several other strikes are to follow throughout December.
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‘We’re not asking for a pay rise – we’re asking not to lose ground so we can afford to live.’
