Rail passengers are suffering fresh travel chaos on Wednesday as thousands of workers walk out on strike, crippling services across the country.
Disputes in the bitter row over jobs, pay, pensions and conditions are worsening, with more strikes in the coming days, and a wave of industrial action planned next month on the UK’s railways and London Underground.
Only around one in five trains will run today, on around half of the network, with some areas having no trains all day.
Around 40,000 rail staff are expected to walk out for 24 hours on 27 July.
Britain’s rail travellers are being urged to avoid using the train network unless their journey is essential.
Trains are expected to also be disrupted on Thursday morning, with a later start to services as employees return to duties.
The Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) has also announced a strike by its members at Avanti West Coast on Wednesday, while members of the drivers union Aslef at seven companies will strike on Saturday.
Shapps furious about latest rail strike
As the fourth national rail strike of the summer got under way, the transport secretary, Grant Shapps, said: “Today, union bosses are once again trying to cause as much disruption as possible to the day-to-day lives of millions of hardworking people around the country.
“What’s more, it has been cynically timed to disrupt the start of the Commonwealth Games and crucial Euro 2022 semi-finals, in a deliberate bid to impact the travel of thousands trying to attend events the whole country is looking forward to.
“Sadly, this is nothing new. In fact, in my three years as Transport Secretary, there has not been a single day when unions have not been in dispute with the rail industry by either threatening or taking industrial action with around sixty separate disputes lodged in 2022 alone.
“This country’s taxpayers stumped up £600 per household to ensure not a single rail worker lost their job during the pandemic, but tomorrow many of those very same people will forced into losing a day’s wages through no fault of their own but because of stubborn union leaders’ refusals to modernise.
“Union bosses will claim they’re willing to do a deal but how can anyone take them seriously when, earlier this month, the RMT dismissed a Network…
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