Britons have been warned to avoid travelling today as train strikes put a damper on Christmas Eve for passengers and drivers heading home.
Motorists have been warned that their journey could spiral into a “nightmare” as traffic surges to pre-pandemic levels.
It comes as members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union are set to stage another round of industrial action today in an ongoing row over pay and conditions.
In normal years, trains normally finish at mid-evening on Christmas Eve. But RMT union members working for Network Rail will stop work at 6pm, and train operators are racing to get rolling stock and staff back to depots before the walk-out begins. Last trains from many locations are in the morning, with all services ending by mid-afternoon.
The final direct train to London has already left Edinburgh, while no trains at all are running on East Midlands Railways’ main line linking London with Leicester, Derby, Nottingham and Sheffield due to a separate strike by members of the Unite union.
