‘Significant’ disruption as rail strikes begin and freezing weather continues to grip UK

Commuters have been warned they face “significant” disruption today with the start of national rail strikes and another day of freezing temperatures.

Hopes of a major breakthrough in the rail dispute were shattered after Network Rail workers rejected a pay offer, which means members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) begin two 48-hour strikes at Network Rail – and 14 train companies – from Tuesday until Friday.

Simultaneously, the Met Office has warned it will be a freezing start for many across the UK on Tuesday morning, with snow covering many parts of the country, which will lead to travel disruption.

There are yellow warnings for ice and snow from Tuesday until Thursday for northern Scotland and north-east England and a severe ice warning covering much of the South East, including London and Brighton, until 11am on Tuesday.

Trains will run from 7.30am to 6.30pm during the strikes, although many parts of the country will have no services at all, including most of Scotland and Wales.

RMT workers at Network Rail will also strike from 6pm on Christmas Eve until 6am on 27 December.

But with further walkouts planned, Network Rail has warned there will be significantly reduced services, with trains more crowded and likely to start later and finisher earlier until 8 January.

Passengers planning to travel at the peak time of Christmas Eve will likely be urged to complete their journeys by the time industrial action begins.

National Highways employees, who operate and maintain roads in England, will also take part in a series of staggered strikes from 16 December to 7 January.

With rail travel likely out for many on Tuesday, the AA is warning commuters to keep an eye on the weather.

It said: “Rain followed by freezing temperatures can turn the roads into an ice rink, so check your route for accidents or closures before you leave and, if possible, favour roads which have been gritted.”

Olly Kunc, AA operations director, said the service had additional call operators on standby.

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National Rail Enquiries says the disruption will be “significant”.

It adds: “If you are travelling, please plan ahead and check your first and last train times.”

The RMT said 63.6% voted to reject Network Rail’s pay offer on an 83% turnout. The offer was a 5% pay rise for this year – backdated to January – with another 4% at the start of 2023 and a guarantee of no compulsory job losses until January 2025.

Its executive recommended rejecting the offer, saying it was linked to “significant” changes to working practices.

The strikes come at a time of planned industrial action in a whole number of UK spheres, including healthcare – with nurses and paramedics planning to walkout – postal workers, Border Force agents, firefighters, driving instructors, bus operators, airport baggage handlers and even coffin makers.

Around 1,600 members of the Public and Commercial Services union working for the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency will be joined on strike on Tuesday by almost 100 workers at the Rural Payments Agency.