BRITS are experiencing a weekend of fresh travel misery as thousands of workers continue to strike over pay, jobs & conditions.
Network Rail, train companies, London Underground and buses in the capital will be hit by walkouts throughout Saturday and Sunday.
The industrial action is set to cause travel chaos for workers, holidaymakers and fans going to events, including a cricket Test match at Lords.
Network Rail confirmed only 20 percent of services will operate with train companies LNER, Cross Country and Chiltern Railways among those who will be affected.
Writing in a letter posted on Twitter, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: "People feel that this ongoing unnecessary strike action is a kick in the teeth to workers who cannot get to their own jobs now."
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) and Unite will be involved in the industrial action, after ongoing talks failed to break the deadlocked rows.
It comes as Mick Lynch revealed that more strike action is "likely" in the future.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast he said: "I’ll be talking to senior executives in the industry all through next week trying to create solutions to these problems and then we’ll decide whether we need to take more industrial action but I’ve got to say that it’s very likely given the gap between us at this time."
Read our Train strikes live blog below for the latest news & updates…
- Louis Allwood
More travel CHAOS ‘very likely’
Mick Lynch revealed that more strike action is "likely" in the future.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast he said: "I’ll be talking to senior executives in the industry all through next week trying to create solutions to these problems and then we’ll decide whether we need to take more industrial action but I’ve got to say that it’s very likely given the gap between us at this time."
- Louis Allwood
Travel if only essential
Buses in West and South West London, as well as parts of Surrey, have also been hit with problems.
The Tube was deserted yesterday because of strikes. Services resumed this morning after 8am.
However, there will be disruption on the Overground, with no services after 6pm.
Avanti West Coast is advising customers to travel only if absolutely necessary today. The company will run one train per hour from Euston to Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Preston, with a limited service on to Glasgow.
- Louis Allwood
Four in five trains not running today
Just one in five train services are running today as workers walk out – causing yet more summer holiday travel misery.
Rail services across the country have been delayed and cancelled for the second time in a week after tens of thousands of workers staged a walk-out on Thursday.
The chaos is set to last until at least Sunday, with strikes at Network Rail, on the London Underground and on bus routes.
Most trains have been axed today, and there'll be fewer services tomorrow as staff get back to work.
- Louis Allwood
Final train services tonight will depart early
Train companies have warned their final services tonight will depart by 5pm. Football and cricket fans, tourists and holidaymakers are among those affected by the disruption.
Would-be travellers lashed out on social media today.
One said: "I have an elderly father in London. I need to visit him every few days but these militant strikes could stop me because they want more money."
- Louis Allwood
‘The railway is vital to this country’
Steve Montgomery, who chairs the Rail Delivery Group, said: “The leadership of RMT and TSSA are imposing yet more uncertainty on passengers and businesses by disrupting passengers’ travel plans.
“While we will do all that we can to minimise the impact and to get people where they need to be, passengers should only travel by rail if absolutely necessary and be aware that services may start later the morning after strikes.
“If you’re not able to travel on 18 or 20 August, you can use your ticket either the day before or up to and including 23 August, otherwise you will be able to change your ticket or claim a refund.
“The railway is vital to this country, but with passenger revenue still 20% below 2019 levels, securing a strong future means we have to change and move with the times.
“Only then can we fund the pay rise we want to give our people, while delivering the more reliable Sunday services and improved punctuality our passengers deserve.”
- Louis Allwood
Advice for those travelling today
Strikes on national rail services are expected to cause severe disruption today.
Only travel on national rail services if absolutely necessary
- Louis Allwood
BBC viewers all say the same thing after Mick Lynch interview
BBC Breakfast viewers were left disappointed in Naga Munchetty as they suggested she'd given a guest an 'easy ride' during an interview.
The TV host sat down with the secretary general of the National Union of Rail, Mick Lynch, on Saturday morning to grill him about the latest round of train strikes.
Viewers had hoped that Naga, 47, would have probed the union boss with difficult questions over the rail chaos this week.
Train services are set to face disruptive cancellations across the country – just a days after tens of thousands of workers staged a walk-out on Thursday.
The chaos is set to last until at least Sunday amid strikes at Network Rail, across train services, on the London Underground and on bus routes.
It's expected that four out of every five trains will not run today, and there'll be fewer services on Sunday as staff get back to work.
BBC Breakfast fans tuned in to watch Naga grill Mick, 60 – but admitted they were left disappointed as they felt he "avoided answering questions", and that she let him "get away" with it.
Writing to Twitter, one viewer fumed: "BBC Breakfast doesn't challenge anything that Mick Lynch says, but Naga is like a Rottweiler when it's a member of the government."
A second chimed in: "Naga failed to put Mick Lynch under pressure, unlike her interview with politicians."
- Matt Snape
Transport Secretary is 'desperate' and 'out of touch'
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps is “desperate” and “out of touch”, claims union leaders.
He told Sky News he may propose legislation called “section 188” to make some of his policies a reality sooner.
“If we can’t get this settled in the way that we are proposing, which is [asking unions], ‘Please put the deal to your membership’, then we will have to move to what is called section 188; it is the process of actually requiring these changes to go into place so it becomes mandated,” he said.
TSSA General Secretary, Manuel Cortes, said Shapps was “desperate” and “out of touch”, reports The Guardian.
- Matt Snape
RMT lambasts Network Rail’s pay offer as ‘cut’
RMT has lambasted Network Rail’s latest offer as a real terms pay cut.
Network Rail suggests its recent pay offer, which equates to more than 5 percent, was “good and fair.”
The Guardian reports that Lynch said he would hold discussions with senior executives in the rail industry next week to “create solutions”.
“Then we’ll decide whether we need to take more industrial action,” he added.
- Matt Snape
Network Rail blames unions for disruptive summer
Network Rail has blamed the unions for continuing disruption to rail services this summer.
The Guardian reports that the company claimed its recent pay offer was worth more than 5 percent, which is “good and fair”, but was conditional on union members accepting reforms.
Andrew Haines, its CEO, said: “It saddens me that we are again having to ask passengers to stay away from the railway due to unnecessary strike action, when we should be helping them enjoy their summers.
“We have made a good and fair offer but, with the exception of our TSSA management grades who accepted the deal, our unions are refusing to let our employees have a say, and sadly that means more disruption on the rail network.”
- Matt Snape
RMT boss warns future rail strikes ‘likely’
Britain may face future rail strikes, the RMT boss has warned after strikes disrupted travel services across the country today.
Mick Lynch, the General Secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport workers’ union, was asked by BBC Breakfast on Saturday if future strikes were likely.
“I’ve got to say that it’s very likely given the gap between us at this time,” he said.
The Guardian reports that Mr Lynch believes public support is entrenching for the strikes.
- Matt Snape
Sadiq Khan ‘on same side’ as RMT
London Mayor Sadiq Khan claims he is on the same side as RMT boss Mike Lynch.
This is despite Lynch claiming that the union had been excluded from discussions between the government, the Treasury, and the office of the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, The Guardian reports.
Travellers are experiencing a further day of chaos on Saturday as thousands of transport workers go on strike in an ongoing argument over pay, jobs and conditions.
- Matt Snape
Disruption for ScotRail passengers this weekend
Train services across Scotland are set to be severely impacted this weekend as Network Rail employees take further strike action.
ScotRail will only run a very limited Saturday service on 11 routes in the central belt, Fife, and the Borders, BBC News reports.
Trains will only operate between 07:30 and 18:30.
- Matt Snape
What other rail strikes took place this week?
Staff at Network Rail participated in rail strikes on Thursday, while TfL confirmed the Tube strikes on Friday resulted in usage of the underground being 90 percent down on the same day last week, with 98,345 entrances and exits on the LU network up until 10am, the BBC reported.
- Matt Snape
Rail strikes: What’s going on?
The unions are arguing with the government and rail companies as they claim salaries should increase to reflect the rising cost of living.
Network Rail, claiming its recent offer is worth more than 5 percent, although this will be determined by whether workers agree to "modernising reforms".
However, the RMT suggests this is a "paltry sum".
Mick Lynch, General Secretary of RMT, told the BBC: "We can deal with evolution of the railway, but what we can't have is imposition of change and detrimental changes to our members lives that will make them not able to change their bills."
- Matt Snape
Rail strikes: Which events will be impacted?
Music and football fans have been warned to check whether they will still be able to travel by train to concerts and sports fixtures – or whether they should switch to travelling by car or coach.
BBC News confirms many events that could be affected will include Becky Hill at Crystal Palace Park in London and the All Point's East festival, in Victoria Park, London. Camp Bestival is taking place in Shropshire but it is thought that most of its 90,000 ticket-holders will already be on site halfway through the four-day festival.
Also, every Saturday during the football season sees a mass migration of away fans.
Wolves fans will be travelling en masse to London for their lunchtime match at Tottenham while fans of some big Championship clubs such as Sunderland are having a second awayday this season disrupted by the strike action.
- Matt Snape
Rail strikes: Know which trains are still running
Only 4,300 services out of the regular 20,000 across Britain will run on what is now the sixth day of national rail strikes this summer.
In London, the bus strike will proceed from Friday, with routes being impacted in south-west London and parts of Surrey.
ScotRail stated the strike did not involve its staff, but there could be a knock-on effect in Scotland as there will be just 11 routes open.
Sunday travellers have been advised to expect some disruption – although 85 percent of services are expected to run as normal, BBC News confirmed.
- Matt Snape
RMT warns stalemate ‘may last a long time’
The RMT union warned a "stalemate" means the latest strikes over rail workers’ pay, jobs, and conditions may last for a long time.
Network Rail said only 20 percent of services will run with train companies LNER, Cross Country and Chiltern Railways among those who will be impacted today.
BBC News reports that the RMT has blamed the government for preventing the train companies from providing its workers a better deal.
However, ministers replied that the unions were causing the block, adding that if the agreements on offer were put to the workers, they would likely accept them.
- Matt Snape
Rail strikes: Only 20 percent of services expected to operate
Roughly 45,000 rail workers have started another day of strike action in a row over pay, jobs and conditions.
Network Rail said only 20 percent of services will run with train companies LNER, Cross Country and Chiltern Railways among those who will be impacted, reports BBC News.
- Louis Allwood
Sunday 21 August
Disruption from the strikes will continue to affect some services on Sunday.
Avoid travelling on affected services before 08:00.
- Louis Allwood
Saturday 20 August
Strikes on national rail services (nationwide) expected to cause severe disruption.
Buses: Services affected in west and south west London and parts of Surrey
- Impact on the following routes: 9, 18, 33, 49, 65, 70, 71, 72, 85, 94, 105, 110, 116, 117, 148, 203, 211, 216, 220, 223, 224, 235, 258, 265, 266, 272, 281, 283, 290, 293, 371, 404, 406, 411, 418, 419, 423, 440, 465, 467, 470, 481, C1, E1, E3, H17, H22, H32, H37, H91, H98, K1, K2, K3, K4, K5, N9, N18, N33, N65, N72, N266 and S3
- No Night Bus services on affected routes
London Overground – Reduced service between 08:00 and 18:00. No service after 18:00. No Night Overground
Elizabeth line
- Central (Paddington-Abbey Wood) – reduced service after 18:00
- East (Liverpool Street-Shenfield) – trains running every 30 minutes 07:00-17:30 only. Trains won’t stop at Maryland, Forest Gate, Manor Park, Goodmayes
- West (Paddington-Reading/Heathrow) – trains every 30 minutes 07:10-17:40 only. Heathrow trains only running to Terminal 4
District line – No service between Wimbledon and Parson’s Green, and Richmond and Turnham Green before 08:00 and after 18:00
Bakerloo line – No service north of Queen’s Park
- Louis Allwood
Commuters left furious by the strikes
Some commuters that have struggled today have taken to Twitter to express their frustration at the strikes.
One said: "Had to leave work an hour earlier cos of this train strike , if not I’ll be home by sunday."
Another added: "Anyone want two free tickets to Bauhaus at Brixton academy today? The tube strike has ruined my day."
- Louis Allwood
‘The unions are hell-bent on causing as much misery as possible’
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “It’s clear, from their co-ordinated approach, that the unions are hell-bent on causing as much misery as possible…
“To the very same taxpayers who stumped up £600 per household to ensure not a single rail worker lost their job during the pandemic.
“Sadly, union chiefs have short memories and will be repaying this act of good faith by ruining millions of hard-working people’s summer plans.
“Businesses too will suffer, with the capital’s leisure and tourism sectors, which have been banking on that summer trade, set to lose millions – a particularly cruel blow given how hard many worked to stay afloat during successive summers of lockdown.”
- Louis Allwood
Brits face weekend travel chaos
Brits are facing more summer holiday travel misery this weekend as yet another strike grips today.
Train services will face delays and cancellations across the country – just a day after tens of thousands of workers staged a walk-out on Thursday.
The chaos is set to last until at least Sunday amid strikes at Network Rail, across train services, on the London Underground and on bus routes.
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) and Unite are involved in the industrial action after ongoing talks failed to break the deadlocked rows.
Four out of every five trains will not run on Saturday, and there'll be fewer services on Sunday as staff get back to work.
- Louis Allwood
Grant Shapps warns massive penalties for striking rail workers
GRANT Shapps warned rail union barons that he will force a crackdown on the ability to strike if workers don’t vote on a new Government pay offer.
London was brought to a standstill yesterday as RMT Union members refused to operate the Tube, forcing it to shut down.
Yesterday, national rail services also ground to a halt as workers picketed stations in protest over pay.
The Government has offered workers an eight per cent pay-rise over two years.
But RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch snubbed the proposal without formally putting it to members for a vote.
This morning Mr Shapps said that if a vote on the offer doesn't go ahead, he’ll be forced to slap the RMT with Section 188 of the Trade Union Act.
The section allows bosses to break rules on when staff can be fired if “special circumstances render it not reasonably practicable for the employer to comply”.
Mr Shapps told Sky News: “If we can’t get this settled in the way that we’re proposing – which is please put the deal to your membership – then we will have to move to a section 188.
“We will have to impose modernisations, but we’d much rather do it through these offers being put to their members.”
The Transport Secretary said a law that would force unions to run a minimum number of services is “written and ready to go”. It could be in place by autumn.
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