Related: Ambulance strike to go ahead as talks fail to break deadlock
Ambulance workers in Unison will stage two further strikes on January 11 and 23 in their dispute over pay and staffing, the union has announced.
NHS ambulance staff belonging to three unions walked out on Wednesday, and a second strike is scheduled for 28 December.
Services across the UK are already being hit by industrial action in other sectors, including the Border Force, National Highways and rail workers, causing chaos for anyone trying to travel for Christmas.
The AA has warned that driving home for Christmas may become a traffic nightmare as the rail strikes push more people onto the roads – just as National Highways workers and control centre staff walk out.
The motorists’ organisation has issued an amber traffic warning for Friday and Christmas Eve, and experts are urging drivers to set their Christmas travel plans in motion “as soon as possible”.
The four-day strike by National Highways workers from today until Christmas Day coincides with fresh rail walkouts.
Some services will stop early tomorrow before national strikes from Saturday, Christmas Eve.
As workers prepared to walk out, the government announced regulated rail fares will rise by up to 5.9% next year.
