Rail strikes are expected to cause the cancellation of about 80% of train services across Britain today.
Train travellers have been urged to stay at home unless absolutely necessary up and down the country after last ditch talks failed to resolve a dispute over pay, jobs and conditions.
Half the rail network will shut down on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday in the biggest walkout in 30 years, the RMT confirmed this afternoon.
From Tuesday, train passengers will face chaos with only a fifth of services running and half of lines closed, due to the biggest strike by rail workers for a generation.
According to reports in the Guardian and BBC, only around 20% of rail services will be running today.
Train services are expected to be impacted on the days without planned strike action as well due to knock-on effects – with about 60% of normal services running.
One unforeseen result of these strikes is that over HALF of the trains to Glastonbury have been cancelled, leaving many festival goers stranded just a day before it starts.
This could be a disaster for the festival, as 200,000 people flock to the iconic event.
Read our rail strike 2022 live blog below for the latest updates…
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Mass shortages
Many train services have been cancelled with “shortage of train crew” given among the reasons ahead of a national walkout of rail workers.
And a number of train companies are running emergency timetables today, warning people to only travel if necessary.
But Treasury chief secretary Simon Clarke said earlier today it is likely the rail strike will go ahead and insisted it is not up to the Government to resolve the dispute.Edit
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Last-ditch talks fail, strike will go ahead
This afternoon, the RMT top brass met with rail bosses for last-ditch talks regarding tomorrow’s strike.
These talks failed, meaning the strike will now go ahead.
“We are moving on now to the next phase of this campaign,” Mick Lynch, the head of the RMT rail union, said.
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Major strike could send UK back to the 70s
Meanwhile, teachers, binmen and posties have threatened to join the walkout – causing chaos unseen since the 1970s.
A reduced timetable this week will operate just 20 per cent of train services on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
And a map of misery has illustrated how just half of the country’s network will be open.
Network Rail said that no passenger services will serve locations such as Penzance in Cornwall, Bournemouth in Dorset, Swansea in South Wales, Holyhead in North Wales, Chester in Cheshire and Blackpool, Lancashire.
There will also be no passenger trains running north from Glasgow or Edinburgh.
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RMT blames government for strike
The RMT Union, which is set to plunge the nation into travel hell this week, has claimed the government are to blame for the strike.
RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch said there would only be a solution if ministers gave workers the right to negotiate.
“What we’ve come to understand is the dead hand of this government is all over this dispute. Until they allow these employers to negotiate freely I can’t see we’re going to get a resolution,” he said.
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The strike is set to go ahead, here is TFL’s advice for avoiding it
The UK is set to be plunged into travel CHAOS this week, as thousands of rail workers go on strike.
TFL have been relatively quiet on the situation, but they have released a statement giving advice to weary travellers.
Its advice? Simply avoid using London’s trains
A TfL statement said: “We are advising customers to avoid travelling on Tuesday 21 June, when strike action will severely disrupt most of TfL’s and national rail’s services.
“If you need to travel, you are advised to complete your journey by 18:00.
“Disruption on all Tube lines will continue through the morning of Wednesday 22 June.
“No London Underground services are expected to run before 08:00, when they will begin running with delays.
“We encourage customers to avoid making journeys until mid-morning.”
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Downing street warns of commuter chaos ahead of strike
Downing Street has warned it will be “extremely difficult” commuting during the rail strikes.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “For those that have no choice but to come in it will be extremely difficult tomorrow and I think the public will understandably want to know why they are being put in this position.
“We believe we are seeking to offer a fair and reasonable pay rise and modernise the railway services for the long term, and we need to get rid of some of these outdated rules and procedures, some of which have not been updated for decades and which don’t serve the public.”
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Grant Shapps claims unions and rail companies need to ‘work together’ to end strikes
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps denied that he is “the problem” in relation to rail strikes.
He told Sky News: “The actual unions need to sit down with the employers because this is a highly technical discussion around 20 different areas of modernisation that are required on the railway, to make sure the railways can continue to function.
“We’ve given £16 billion of taxpayers’ money through coronavirus to make sure that none of those railway employees lost their jobs.
“So they need to work on this together between the union and the employers.”
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Unions declare war on Britain
Rail unions declared war on Britain last night by threatening to stage crippling strikes for months to come.
In a speech yesterday afternoon, RMT boss ‘Mad Mick’ Lynch warned the misery has only just begun.
He said the rail strike will go on “as long as it needs to” until bosses cave to his eye-watering pay demands.
In a call to arms to his 40,000-strong army of members, he added: “We call on our members to stand firm, support the action and mount the pickets.”
Britain should brace itself for a “wave” of strikes across the entire economy, he said – fuelling fears we are heading for 1970s style industrial unrest.
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What are the rail strikers asking for?
With the rail strike going ahead this week, plunging much of the UK’s transport services into chaos, the RMT Union has outlined what exactly it hopes to achieve.
In a statement, the union said: “We want a transport system that operates for the benefit of the people, for the needs of society and our environment – not for private profit.”
In practice their demands would see rail workers get a seven per cent pay increase, to rise with inflation.
The average salary of a train driver is £54,000 per year – a seven per cent rise on that would see them raking in £57,780.
Moreover, the union believes many workers were wrongfully let go during Covid, so they are asking for stronger job security.
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What trains will run in Scotland tomorrow?
Tomorrow will see the UK hit with the biggest rail strike in 30 years.
Some services will remain operational however.
The BBC has listed which ones will run in Scotland.
- Edinburgh – Glasgow via Falkirk High: two trains per hour
- Edinburgh – Bathgate: two trains per hour
- Glasgow – Hamilton/Larkhall: two trains per hour
- Glasgow – Lanark: two trains per hour
- Edinburgh – Glasgow via Shotts: one train per hour
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When are the RMT rail strikes
The UK is currently bracing itself for the biggest rail strike in 30 years, but when exactly will trains stop running?
The RMT members are holding 24-hour strikes on three days:
- Tuesday 21 June
- Thursday 23 June
- Saturday 25 June
However, if the workers do not get what they have requested, we could see further strikes
-
Mass shortages
Many train services have been cancelled with “shortage of train crew” given among the reasons ahead of a national walkout of rail workers.
And a number of train companies are running emergency timetables today, warning people to only travel if necessary.
But Treasury chief secretary Simon Clarke said earlier today it is likely the rail strike will go ahead and insisted it is not up to the Government to resolve the dispute.Edit
-
Last-ditch talks fail, strike will go ahead
This afternoon, the RMT top brass met with rail bosses for last-ditch talks regarding tomorrow’s strike.
These talks failed, meaning the strike will now go ahead.
“We are moving on now to the next phase of this campaign,” Mick Lynch, the head of the RMT rail union, said.
-
Major strike could send UK back to the 70s
Meanwhile, teachers, binmen and posties have threatened to join the walkout – causing chaos unseen since the 1970s.
A reduced timetable this week will operate just 20 per cent of train services on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
And a map of misery has illustrated how just half of the country’s network will be open.
Network Rail said that no passenger services will serve locations such as Penzance in Cornwall, Bournemouth in Dorset, Swansea in South Wales, Holyhead in North Wales, Chester in Cheshire and Blackpool, Lancashire.
There will also be no passenger trains running north from Glasgow or Edinburgh.
-
RMT blames government for strike
The RMT Union, which is set to plunge the nation into travel hell this week, has claimed the government are to blame for the strike.
RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch said there would only be a solution if ministers gave workers the right to negotiate.
“What we’ve come to understand is the dead hand of this government is all over this dispute. Until they allow these employers to negotiate freely I can’t see we’re going to get a resolution,” he said.
-
The strike is set to go ahead, here is TFL’s advice for avoiding it
The UK is set to be plunged into travel CHAOS this week, as thousands of rail workers go on strike.
TFL have been relatively quiet on the situation, but they have released a statement giving advice to weary travellers.
Its advice? Simply avoid using London’s trains
A TfL statement said: “We are advising customers to avoid travelling on Tuesday 21 June, when strike action will severely disrupt most of TfL’s and national rail’s services.
“If you need to travel, you are advised to complete your journey by 18:00.
“Disruption on all Tube lines will continue through the morning of Wednesday 22 June.
“No London Underground services are expected to run before 08:00, when they will begin running with delays.
“We encourage customers to avoid making journeys until mid-morning.”
-
Downing street warns of commuter chaos ahead of strike
Downing Street has warned it will be “extremely difficult” commuting during the rail strikes.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “For those that have no choice but to come in it will be extremely difficult tomorrow and I think the public will understandably want to know why they are being put in this position.
“We believe we are seeking to offer a fair and reasonable pay rise and modernise the railway services for the long term, and we need to get rid of some of these outdated rules and procedures, some of which have not been updated for decades and which don’t serve the public.”
-
Grant Shapps claims unions and rail companies need to ‘work together’ to end strikes
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps denied that he is “the problem” in relation to rail strikes.
He told Sky News: “The actual unions need to sit down with the employers because this is a highly technical discussion around 20 different areas of modernisation that are required on the railway, to make sure the railways can continue to function.
“We’ve given £16 billion of taxpayers’ money through coronavirus to make sure that none of those railway employees lost their jobs.
“So they need to work on this together between the union and the employers.”
-
What are the rail strikers asking for?
With the rail strike going ahead this week, plunging much of the UK’s transport services into chaos, the RMT Union has outlined what exactly it hopes to achieve.
In a statement, the union said: “We want a transport system that operates for the benefit of the people, for the needs of society and our environment – not for private profit.”
In practice their demands would see rail workers get a seven per cent pay increase, to rise with inflation.
The average salary of a train driver is £54,000 per year – a seven per cent rise on that would see them raking in £57,780.
Moreover, the union believes many workers were wrongfully let go during Covid, so they are asking for stronger job security.
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Strike could lead to cancer deaths, claims NHS oncologist Professor Robert Thomas
The strike will mean many can’t get to work, but according one doctor, it will have much more serious consequences.
Thomas told Good Morning Britain: “There’s 120,000 on chemotherapy and a similar amount on radiotherapy. It’s well established that delays will have a 20 per cent reduction in benefit of cancer treatment.
“I think it’s selfish and inappropriate. Oncology is at breaking point at the moment.
“This will lead to loss of life. Maybe not now but in the next few months.
“It’s going to lead to considerable delays and considerable distress.
“If it’s going to cause loss of life you have got to ask if they have the moral authority to make the choice of going on strike at this time.”
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Mum faces 180 MILE drive to get her son to school, amid rail strikes
The RMT Union is striking this week, as they seek higher wages and more job security.
But this strike will cause chaos for many, including one mum who just wants to get her son to his GCSE exams.
Marta Kotlarek’s son, Jacob, usually gets the train to school, but that will not be possible this week.
“They normally take the train from Flint which takes 20 minutes. We are lucky because we have a car. I worry about families who don’t have a car.
“We live in Holywell so it’s a 60-mile journey there and back to the school.
“We are also expecting extra traffic because of the strike. It’s an added stress during exams.
“I am lucky enough to have a car but what happens to people who don’t?
“I know the WJEC has processes if a child misses an exam but I am worried for children whose families don’t have cars.”
Marta said driving will also be an added cost because her children usually use season tickets and petrol prices have rocketed.
She said: “I haven’t really worked it out but it will cost between £50 and £70.”
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The strike is set to go ahead, here is TFL’s advice for avoiding it
The UK is set to be plunged into travel CHAOS this week, as thousands of rail workers go on strike.
TFL have been relatively quiet on the situation, but they have released a statement giving advice to weary travellers.
Its advice? Simply avoid using London’s trains
A TfL statement said: “We are advising customers to avoid travelling on Tuesday 21 June, when strike action will severely disrupt most of TfL’s and national rail’s services.
“If you need to travel, you are advised to complete your journey by 18:00.
“Disruption on all Tube lines will continue through the morning of Wednesday 22 June.
“No London Underground services are expected to run before 08:00, when they will begin running with delays.
“We encourage customers to avoid making journeys until mid-morning.”
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Money talks
The average salary of a train driver is £54,000 per year – a seven per cent rise on that would see them raking in £57,780.
The strike is set to cause chaos for millions, from workers to holidaymakers and parents.
More than half of services to Glastonbury Festival in Pilton, Somerset have been cancelled.+
It means tens of thousands will have to find alternative routes to its 50th event.
And last week mum Marta Kotlarek told how she faces a 180-mile drive to get her sons to school for their GCSE exams.
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Back to the 70s
Meanwhile, teachers, binmen and posties have threatened to join the walkout – causing chaos unseen since the 1970s.
A reduced timetable this week will operate just 20 per cent of train services on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
And a map of misery has illustrated how just half of the country’s network will be open.
Network Rail said that no passenger services will serve locations such as Penzance in Cornwall, Bournemouth in Dorset, Swansea in South Wales, Holyhead in North Wales, Chester in Cheshire and Blackpool, Lancashire.
There will also be no passenger trains running north from Glasgow or Edinburgh.
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Maximum chaos
The strike has been designed to cause maximum disruption, meaning six days of chaos this week.
But NHS oncologist Professor Robert Thomas said the strike will lead to cancer deaths.
He told Good Morning Britain: “There’s 120,000 on chemotherapy and a similar amount on radiotherapy. It’s well established that delays will have a 20 per cent reduction in benefit of cancer treatment.
“I think it’s selfish and inappropriate. Oncology is at breaking point at the moment.
“This will lead to loss of life. Maybe not now but in the next few months.
“It’s going to lead to considerable delays and considerable distress.
“If it’s going to cause loss of life you have got to ask if they have the moral authority to make the choice of going on strike at this time.”
TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said rail staff have been left with “no other option”.