Only One In Five Trains To Run As Strikes Hit Travel

Rail, Tube and bus passengers will suffer fresh travel misery from today as tens of thousands of workers stage strikes in long-running disputes over pay, jobs and conditions.

- Alan Jones

Network Rail, train companies, London Underground and buses in the capital will be hit by walkouts in the next few days, causing travel chaos for workers, holidaymakers, and fans going to events, including a cricket Test match at Lords.

Members of the Rail, Maritime, and Transport (RMT) union, Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA), and Unite will be involved in the industrial action after ongoing talks failed to break the deadlocked rows. Strikes will affect services until the weekend. Today, RMT members at Network Rail (NR) and 14 train operators, as well as TSSA members at seven companies and Unite members at NR will all go on strike. This will have a knock-on effect on rail services tomorrow morning.

Also tomorrow, members of the RMT and Unite on London Underground will walk out, as well as Unite members on London United bus routes in the capital, in a separate dispute over pay. On Saturday, RMT members at Network Rail and 14 train operators, TSSA members at seven companies and Unite members at NR will strike again, along with London United bus drivers.

Sunday morning train services will be affected by the knock-on effect of Saturday's action. Rail services today and Saturday will be drastically reduced, with only around a fifth running, and half of the lines closed. Trains will only operate between 7.30 am and 6.30 pm on both strike days. Picket lines will be mounted outside railway stations across the country.