Late-night rail services could be axed throughout next month in response to London’s worst-ever rail strike, causing chaos for the capital’s Christmas party season.
Up to 25,000 train services — thousands more than first forecast — face cancellation in the 27-day walkout by South Western Railway (SWR) train staff, which starts next Monday.
Industrial action will affect all services to and from mainline Waterloo, the UK’s busiest station.
Final timetables have yet to be announced but some services could stop running shortly after 10pm or 11pm — up to two hours early — forcing revellers to leave early or miss the last services home.
The only exceptions in the month-long walkout are for general election day on December 12, and Christmas and Boxing Day when very few trains run anyway.
The strikes, the latest in the long-running row over the role of guards, last up to and including New Year’s Day.
SWR, Europe’s busiest rail commuter network, now expects to run about half its usual 1,800 weekday trains, down from the two thirds it operated during previous walkouts.
