The biggest national rail strikes for 30 years are due to take place next week, when only a fifth of services will run. Passengers have been warned to expect severe disruption and plan ahead.
In some places, services will be very limited. In others, there will be no services at all. The strike action will see whole cities and towns cut off from the train network, as half of all rail lines will be closed.
The strikes are expected to cause widespread disruption, including for hospitals and schools. Here’s everything passengers need to know.
Read more: Armed police halt trains at Yate station to arrest man on suspicion of sex crimes
Who is going on strike and why?
More than 40,000 members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union from Network Rail and 13 train firms are taking industrial action over pay, redundancies and conditions. The union members include railway staff such as guards and signalling operators. The union announced the strike action last week after talks fell through.
On Tuesday, June 21, London Underground RMT workers are planning to walk out in a separate dispute over pensions and job losses.
When are the strikes?
The strikes are on Tuesday 21, Thursday 23 and Saturday 25 June – however, misery for passengers is expected to last the entire week because signallers and controllers will not work overnight shifts on strike days.
On Wednesday 22, Friday 24 and Sunday 26 June, around 60% of services are expected to run. On Monday, June 20, a few services will terminate earlier.
Which services will be affected?
Network Rail has said the industrial action will mean no services to Penzance, Bournemouth, Swansea, Holyhead, Chester and Blackpool – and no trains running North from Glasgow or Edinburgh in Scotland.
Lines will only be open from 7.30am and journeys must be completed by 6.30pm, meaning services will start later and finish earlier than usual. The timetable from Monday, June 20, to Sunday, June 26, is still being finalised.
Cross Country is still finalising details but services to Penzance, and between Bristol and Birmingham, will not run. It says if you have a ticket to travel on June 21, 23 or 25 this will now be valid for travel up to and including June 20, on a like-for-like service such as off-peak. Revised timetables can be found here .
Great Western Railway has said there will be no services West of Cardiff or Plymouth on strike days. It says customers who have already purchased tickets can claim a refund or amend their ticket. It is allowing people with tickets for travel on strike days to travel on the day before and up to two days after. For more information click here. It means there will be no trains at all in Cornwall.
South Western Railway will run two fast trains an hour to/from London Waterloo and Southampton, four an hour to Woking and Windsor, two to Basingstoke and the rest of the network - including in Devon - will be closed. More information can be found here.
Who will be most significantly affected by the strike action?
Students are due to sit GCSE and A-Level exams next week. Teachers are being told to make contingency plans for pupils who arrive late for them. They will still be able to sit their exams as long as they are supervised by a member of staff throughout.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid has claimed that the action will also “put patients at risk” as some operations and hospital appointments will be cancelled due to staff struggling to get to work.
The strikes will also leave airports full of people landing in the country with limited options for getting to their onward destination. Heathrow and Gatwick Airports have asked coach companies about extra services but much of the spare capacity is being used to transport people attending Glastonbury Festival which runs from Wednesday, June 22, to Sunday, June 26.
The hospitality sector will be under pressure as people are likely to avoid travelling into city centres. People travelling for summer events will be affected. Many commuters will have to find alternative routes to work and this will increase congestion on the roads. Some businesses have told employees to work from home. Freight will be prioritised over passengers to limit damage to the economy.
Are you going to have travel disruptions due to the national rail strikes, let us know in our survey below:
If the survey does not appear for you, click here.
