An NHS worker said he fears he will not be allowed into Glastonbury Festival after rail strikes hit his travel plans.
Huw, from Liverpool and who did not wish to share his second name, booked a coach ticket to Glastonbury in October 2019 before the event was later cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. The 28-year-old patient-facing worker has since moved to Liverpool but his ticket requires him to travel via a festival-organised coach from Brighton at 7am on Wednesday.
He does not finish work until 9pm on Tuesday and the final train from Liverpool to London is at 4pm, so he has now spent £70 on the earliest available bus to the festival on Thursday morning hoping he will be allowed entrance. Huw said: "Festival tickets are given out on the coach, so there's a very real possibility that this rail strike means I can't actually get into the festival.
"I'm making my own way from Liverpool on Thursday morning and will be relying on the goodwill of the Brighton coach driver to hand my festival ticket over either to the box office or to my mates who'll meet me at the gate [...] hopefully common sense prevails." It comes as millions of people are suffering disruption as the largest rail strike for a generation cripples Britain's train services.
More than 50,000 railway workers are set to walk out. Major travel disruption is expected as the RMT union members from Northern Rail, and 13 other train firms, take part in the industrial action.
The whole country will be affected by the strike, including Merseyside, as Merseyrail suspends all services today on Tuesday, Thursday and on Saturday this week. While Merseyrail staff are not taking part in the industrial action, it will involve Network Rail staff who operate the signalling systems and provide crucial maintenance which allow services to run safely.
The operator says it is unable to provide any train services on days when industrial action is taking place. There will be no rail replacement buses on strike days and passengers are advised to make alternative travel arrangements.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned train passengers they must "stay the course" in the face of the "unnecessary aggravation" caused by rail strikes. He also told a meeting of the Cabinet that reforms are vital for the rail industry and those who work in it.
