A national train strike has entered its second day with thousands of railway workers manning picket lines across the country.
The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) has blasted Transport Secretary Grant Shapps for "wrecking" negotiations over pay, jobs and conditions.
Services across the UK are crippled once again today as RMT members at Network Rail and 13 train operators take industrial action.
Only around one in five trains are running and mainly on main lines during the day.
Photographs showed deserted railway stations across the country today.
Meanwhile, it seems many Londoners have hopped on their bikes to get to work, with pictures showing busy cycle paths in the capital.
It comes after 67,000 Boris Bikes were hired on Tuesday - the first day of the strike.
This was the second biggest day for London's cycle hire scheme since it started in 2010.
More than 10,000 e-scooters were also hired in the capital on Tuesday, making it the busiest day in the scheme's history.
As commuters look for alternative routes to work, RMT members have joined picket lines across the country, holding placards calling for better pay and job security.
Labour MP for Birkenhead Mick Whitley joined a picket line outside Liverpool Lime Street station.
He said: "I think every Labour MP should come out. Let's have it right, the Labour Party was born out of the trade union movement and they are our political voice in Parliament so every Labour MP should be out."
He said a pay deal reached with Merseyrail reinforced the argument that the Government was "manufacturing the dispute".
He added: "We don't want to mess up people's travel arrangements but if you're pushed into a corner you have got to do something."
RMT regional council secretary Darren Pilling said the reaction to the picket line at Liverpool Lime Street station had been supportive.
He said: "Although we're being told we are on our own and people don't support our actions, people do understand exactly what this is all about because every one else is suffering just as much as we are.
"I stood here for eight hours on Tuesday and had nothing but support and praise from people."
Mr Pilling said he believed the dispute could be resolved if the union was allowed to speak to managers without Government involvement.
He added: "I genuinely hope this is the last time we'll be stood outside Liverpool Lime Street for a long time. I want to be going about my normal business.
"But, we will not meekly stand by and allow our members to be treated in such an abominable manner."
The level of traffic on the nation's roads is reportedly "remarkably good" this morning amid fears that the strikes could cause congestion.
National Highways senior network planner Frank Bird said: "I'd like to thank people for taking and heeding our advice."
Motorway signs have been advising drivers for more than a week of expected disruption.
"At the moment, the look and feel of the network is that traffic numbers are down," Mr Bird added.
"If you're going in and out of town and city centres, they're a little bit busier. People are struggling to find (and) driving around, to find parking spaces."
There are fears that a second wave of strikes could be held in just two weeks time, say reports.
The RMT's National Executive Committee needs only to give a fortnight's notice of further industrial action, with ongoing action potentially affecting holiday plans for thousands of people.
Network Rail is reportedly expecting a decision on new strike dates to be made at some point next week.
The RMT is allowed to call new strikes until November without the need for another ballot.
The Government announced plans ahead of the strike which will change the law to enable businesses to supply skilled agency workers to plug staffing gaps during industrial action.
Ministers pointed out that under current trade union laws, employment businesses are restricted from supplying temporary agency workers to cover for strikers, saying it can have a “disproportionate impact”.
The legislation will repeal the legal restrictions, allowing businesses impacted by strike action to tap into the services of employment firms who can provide skilled, temporary agency staff at short notice, said the government.
Network Rail welcomed the move but Labour and unions condemned it as a “recipe for disaster”.
The RMT accused Transport Secretary Grant Shapps of “wrecking” negotiations.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “Grant Shapps has wrecked these negotiations by not allowing Network Rail to withdraw their letter threatening redundancy for 2,900 of our members.
“Until the Government unshackle Network Rail and the train operating companies, it is not going to be possible for a negotiated settlement to be agreed.
“We will continue with our industrial campaign until we get a negotiated settlement that delivers job security and a pay rise for our members that deals with the escalating cost-of-living crisis.”
Mr Shapps hit back, saying the RMT claim was a “lie”.
Meanwhile, members of the drivers’ union Aslef on Greater Anglia will strike on Thursday in a separate dispute over pay.
The company, which is also affected by the RMT strike, advised passengers to travel only if it was necessary.
The Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) announced that its members at Merseyrail had accepted a 7.1% pay offer.
General secretary Manuel Cortes said: “What this clearly shows is our union, and sister unions, are in no way a block on finding the solutions needed to avoid a summer of discontent on the railways.
“Rather, it is the Government who are intent on digging in their heels. Grant Shapps would be wise to start talking seriously to our union as we ballot for industrial action on our railways up and down the land.”
A Rail Delivery Group spokesperson: “With passenger numbers still at only 80% of pre-pandemic levels the industry remains committed to giving a fair deal on pay while taking no more than its fair share from taxpayers.
“We can only achieve that by making improvements – like offering better services on a Sunday – that reflect the changing needs of passengers so we can attract more back.
“We call on the RMT leadership to continue to talk so that we can secure a thriving long-term future for the railway and its workforce.
“Our advice to passengers remains the same, only travel by rail if absolutely necessary, check before you travel and make sure you know the time of your first and last trains.”
A Network Rail spokesperson said: “We are disappointed that the RMT have again chosen to walk away from negotiations without agreeing a deal.
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"We remain available for talks – day or night – and will do everything we can to avoid further disruption for our passengers.
“As a result of this needless and premature strike, rail services will look much like they did on Tuesday – starting later in the morning and finishing much earlier in the evening (around 6.30pm).
“We are asking passengers to please check before you travel, be conscious of when your last available train is departing, and only travel by train if necessary.”
