New Year’s Eve travel misery for millions due to stormy weather, strike action and engineering work
2024 ends with travel chaos on multiple fronts
Koichiko
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Travel plans for millions are in disarray as a combination of bad weather, rail engineering work and a train managers’ strike disrupt public transport.
At London Euston, Avanti West Coast is running only a skeleton service of intercity trains during the first of 21 days of strikes by train managers in a dispute over rest-day working.
As around 300 RMT members walk out, most Avanti trains linking the capital with the West Midlands, northwest England, North Wales and southern Scotland are cancelled, with passengers urged to avoid travel.
Another one-day strike will take place on Thursday, 2 January, with subsequent walk-outs every Sunday from 11 January to 25 March.
Mick Lynch, general secretary of the RMT, said: “Avanti West Coast created this dispute by ignoring train managers’ concerns and presenting offers those members deemed unacceptable.
“The company must come forward with a revised proposal so we can avoid more strike action further into 2025.”
Kathryn O’Brien, executive director of Customer Experience at Avanti West Coast, said: “On the two strike days we’ll have a significantly reduced service, so customers with tickets for 31 December or 2 January are strongly advised to travel on alternative dates or claim a full fee-free refund.
“We remain open to working with the RMT to resolve the dispute.”
Rail passengers face more problems with many later trains being cancelled ahead of the New Year’s Eve celebrations.
CrossCountry has warned of an early shutdown and a reduced Manchester service.
On the East Coast main line, a broken-down train is delaying journeys between Morpeth and Berwick-upon-Tweed.
Anyone who succeeds in reaching Edinburgh or Glasgow from London will face further problems as severe weather sweeps across Scotland.
ScotRail has imposed speed restrictions on many lines, including those linking the Central Belt with Perth, Aberdeen and Inverness.
In western Scotland, Caledonian MacBrayne has cancelled many morning ferries, including those linking Stornoway with Ullapool, Lochboisdale with Oban and the Isle of Arran with the mainland.
All sailings from Mallaig to Armadale in southern Skye are cancelled for the rest of the year. Afternoon sailings are in doubt on many other routes.
Passengers with bookings on Loganair, which links the Western Isles, have been offered the chance to switch to flights up to a week ahead to avoid the risk of disruption.
The Scottish government said in a statement: “Travel disruption is expected across Scotland, with Transport Scotland making preparations across the trunk road network.
“Rail, ferry and airport operators are also working to ensure that people can reach their destination over the remainder of the festive period, when it is safe to do so and once the worst of the conditions have passed or expired.”
Back in London, the UK’s busiest station, London Liverpool Street, remains closed due to engineering work by Network Rail. The hub serving Essex and East Anglia is due to reopen on Thursday 2 January.
