Festive travellers warned to avoid Christmas Eve train journeys amid strikes
Travellers hoping to go home for the festive period by train have been warned to avoid journeying on Christmas Eve, with strike action affecting some services.
CrossCountry is expecting widespread disruption, running a 'very limited' timetable, with many services cancelled, affecting Birmingham New Street and stations across the Black Country and Staffordshire.
The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers is carrying out planned strikes.
Travellers are advised to check their journey prior to travelling and to avoid travel on either December 24 or 31.
A statement from CrossCountry said: "We are expecting widespread disruption to our services over the festive period due to planned strike action by the RMT (The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers).
"Disruption is to be expected on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve as we will only be able to run a very limited timetable, with the cancellation of many of our services.
"We are advising customers to alter their plans where possible and to avoid travel on either Friday, December 24, or Friday, December 31.
"We recommend you check your journey before you travel by using National Rail Enquiries."
Anyone who decides not to travel on December 24 can get a full refund for unused tickets due to the disruption, claimed via your ticket retailer.
Rail union RMT say the strike is over threats to workers' job security, after the company snubbed a possible settlement in last-ditch talks.
General Secretary Mick Lynch said: "This strike could have been resolved if people were simply allowed to just get on with their own job and the company stopped threatening the long-term futures of our members and compromising safety as a consequence."
This latest blow to travellers comes after coronavirus-related staff shortages were blamed for train cancellations across the region.
Railway chiefs have urged people to use the latest timetables – with fewer trains running due to workers being off, leading to a string of service cancellations.
Trains across the Avanti West Coast network are subject to short-notice cancellations but the "majority" of trains will continue to run as scheduled, chiefs say.
