New Year’s Eve railway chaos as train managers announce STRIKE over rest days – with exact dates revealed
BRITS are set to be hit by New Year’s Eve chaos as workers on Avanti West Coast trains are set to strike.
Strikes are set to take place on December 31, January 2 and all Sundays from 12 January to 25 May, 2025, the rail operator has announced.
The dispute centres over working on rest days, with Brits bracing for getaway chaos this Christmas.
Avanti West Coast train managers have already voted to strike for three days over the Christmas period.
The RMT union said that walkouts have also been scheduled for 22, 23 and 29 December.
Train managers usually work a 41-hour week but due to staff shortages can be asked to work on their days off – but the RMT said that the current arrangements were “unacceptable”.
An RMT spokesperson said: “Our members have resoundingly rejected Avanti’s latest offers in two referendums and sustained strike action is now the only way to focus management’s minds on reaching a negotiated settlement with the union.”
A spokesperson for Avanti West Coast said that at “one of our busiest and most important times of the year” customers “will now face significant disruption because of these strikes“.
They added: “We’re looking at how this industrial action will impact our services and we’ll confirm our plans as soon as possible.
“In the meantime, to minimise the number of people disrupted, we’ve suspended ticket sales for these dates.
“We’ll share travel advice, refund information and ticket options as soon as these are finalised.”
Rail services on all three days are expected to be limited.
A revised timetable for 22 and 23 December will be made available on Saturday, December 14.
Around 300 train managers are expected to join the walkout.
It is expected that some 16 million cars will take to the roads on December 23 and Christmas Eve.