Passengers are cautioned that disruptions will continue following the conclusion of the latest round of train worker strikes.
At 06:00 GMT, RMT union members who work for Network Rail terminated their latest strike over salary and working conditions.
Due to the delayed start, many trains did not begin running until 09:00 and will not begin in other locations until noon.
Network Rail stated that 70% of services will operate, but advised customers to double-check their journey times.
The first train from London to Edinburgh was scheduled to depart at 10:30, but it was delayed by about 30 minutes.
Due to station maintenance, the majority of trains will not stop at York, according to London North Eastern Railway.
Lumo, which also operates between London and Edinburgh, reported that early trains may be delayed and disruptions are likely until 15:00 due to a late train leaving the depot.
Due to engineering maintenance, there are no trains to or from Euston until this afternoon.
London’s Liverpool Street station is also closed owing to construction, and services from London Victoria are limited.
The disruption of rail service in the city coincides with bus drivers’ strike action, which primarily affects routes in the south and west London.
The Gatwick Express to Victoria is suspended, and Heathrow Express trains from Paddington will not resume service until after 11:00 a.m. as a result of the strikes.
No trains were scheduled to depart London Stansted Airport for the capital until after 08:00. Overnight, lengthy lines had formed outside the airport’s arrivals hall as passengers waited for bus services into London.
1,000 Border Force passport control staff at Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow, Gatwick, Heathrow (terminals 2, 3, 4, and 5) and Manchester airports went on strike on Boxing Day and may walk out again from Wednesday to Saturday, further delaying travelers.
A spokesperson for Network Rail stated, “Staff is returning to work, so passenger services will begin significantly later.”
“Passengers should verify before traveling so that they do not arrive at a station to find no trains.”
ScotRail reported that the majority of services had begun before 08:00, but warned that in some areas, such as Stirling, there would be no trains until 17:00 due to the shift start times of Network Rail signallers.
Thousands of RMT members at Network Rail, which operates and maintains the rail system, and fourteen train companies are on strike over pay and working conditions.
It coincides with widespread industrial unrest in several industries, including nurses, ambulance drivers, and Border Force employees at six of the United Kingdom’s largest airports.
At a time when the rate of price increases, also known as inflation, is at a 40-year high, workers are leaving their jobs over salary.
The 3rd to 4th and 6th to 7th of January will see the resumption of rail strikes.
In the meanwhile, RMT members at 14 train companies are prohibited from working overtime until January 2nd.
Network Rail expects service levels to reach 90% in the coming days.
However, the company anticipates that this will decrease to 20% of normal services once the next round of strikes begins in early January.
The RMT’s general secretary, Mick Lynch, stated: “The union is open to negotiations to settle this conflict.
However, until the government authorizes the rail industry to resolve job security, compensation, and working conditions, our industrial campaign will continue into the new year, if required.
A representative of Network Rail stated: “The best way to resolve an industrial dispute is through dialogue and communication, therefore of course we will seek to sit around a table.
It is currently unclear where we can go because all of our options have already been laid out.
Members of the TSSA union who work in customer service management, driver management, training, control, customer communications, safety, timetabling, and planning will begin separate strike action this afternoon.
According to the union, these walkouts will have a significant impact on CrossCountry’s services, which extend from Penzance to the Midlands, Wales, and northern England, as well as Scottish cities as far north as Aberdeen.
Cross Country stated that there are no services north of York. In addition, it advised that trains traveling north of Banbury and services from Reading to Manchester would be “very crowded.”
Great Western Railway TSSA workers will go on strike from midday on Wednesday to 11.59 p.m. on Thursday, and West Midlands Trains TSSA members will strike from noon on Wednesday to 12 on Thursday.
