London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jun 02, 2025

Train strikes: Passengers brace for Christmas Eve disruption

Train strikes: Passengers brace for Christmas Eve disruption

Rail passengers are being warned to avoid travelling on Saturday unless "absolutely necessary" as further walkouts are set to cause disruption.

Network Rail said the Christmas Eve strike by its workers in a row over pay would have a severe impact on services.

Trains will finish at around 15:00 before RMT union members begin industrial action at 18:00.

In the latest strikes in the run-up to Christmas, postal workers and Border Force staff are also walking out.

The industrial action at Network Rail, which maintains the UK's rail system, will continue until 06:00 on 27 December.

Network Rail said there would be "significantly reduced services across the rail network on Christmas Eve".

Last trains on long-distance routes will depart much earlier, with some rail companies unable to run any services at all.

The last train times on major routes include the 09:45 from Leeds to London, the 11:22 from London to Edinburgh, and the 12:48 from London to Manchester.

"Only travel if absolutely necessary on Saturday 24 December," said Network Rail.

The rail strikes are expected to add to traffic on the roads, at what is already a busy time of year.

The AA said a recent survey showed just under a third of UK adults said they would be driving to see family and friends ahead of Christmas when they would usually use the train.

"The traffic nightmare before Christmas is getting worse," said AA president Edmund King.

The motoring group is advising drivers to check traffic on their route before they set off.

The railway strikes come at a time of widespread industry walkouts, as staff across a range of sectors are involved in disputes over pay, jobs and working conditions.

Workers are seeking wage rises as the cost of living soars. The rate at which prices are rising, known as inflation, is running at nearly 11%, which remains close to a 40-year high.

Other industrial action on Saturday includes:

*  About 1,000 Border Force workers - many of whom check passports - are on strike at Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff and Glasgow airports, as well as the Port of Newhaven, until the end of the year, with the exception of 27 December. Although passengers had been told to expect delays at airports, disruption on Friday was minimal, as military personnel and civil servants were drafted in to cover strikers.

*  More than 115,000 Royal Mail workers from the Communication Workers Union are walking out on one of the busiest days for pre-Christmas deliveries. Letters won't be delivered, although some parcels are still being dispatched.

*  Some National Highways traffic officers are on strike in London and south-east England. National Highways says no roads will be closed and it has "well-rehearsed resilience plans in place".

*  Bus drivers for Abellio in London are walking out. The routes affected are mostly in south and west London.

Elsewhere, ambulance drivers, nurses and driving examiners are all set to strike at various points over the festive period and in to the new year.

The prime minister said he was "sad" about disruption caused by strikes, but insisted he had acted "fairly and reasonably" over public sector pay.

"I want to make sure we reduce inflation, part of that is being responsible when it comes to setting public sector pay. In the long term it's the right thing for the whole country that we beat inflation," Rishi Sunak said.


Previous strikes by the RMT have had a major impact on services throughout England, Scotland and Wales. The union is due to hold further walkouts on 3-4 January and 6-7 January.

Union members have rejected offers in a dispute over pay, job security and working conditions.

Network Rail said the deal it has put forward is "fair and affordable".

"That's why we urge the RMT to really think again about looking at what's on the table. And we'll look to see what we can do and sit around the table after the strikes finish in the new year," Kevin Groves, Network Rail's chief spokesman, told the BBC.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: "The union remains available for talks to resolve this dispute.

"But until the government gives the rail industry a mandate to come to a negotiated settlement on job security, pay and conditions of work, our industrial campaign will continue into the new year, if necessary."

In a statement, the RMT added that it believed the government had "blocked" rail employers from making a deal with the union.

But a Department for Transport spokesperson said: "Far from blocking a deal, the transport secretary and rail minister have facilitated talks and ensured a fair and reasonable offer was put forward, which the RMT rejected despite a significant number of members voting to accept."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
×