Train passengers face another week of chaos on Britain’s railways as the series of bitter and long-running industrial disputes drags into the new year and looks set to disrupt the return to work after the Christmas holidays.
Rail users have been warned to “only travel if it is absolutely necessary” between Tuesday and Saturday, with large parts of the network shut down and skeleton services expected to operate elsewhere.
About 40,000 RMT members will stage walkouts on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, in a dispute over pay, job security and changes to working practices. Train drivers represented by the Aslef union will walk out on Thursday in a row over pay, completing five days of travel misery for passengers.