Fresh wave of strike action set to cause Christmas travel chaos - will the train and flight disruption affect you?
6 December 2022, 10:03 | Updated: 7 December 2022, 15:56
With the news that Border Force workers are going on strike over Christmas, a fresh wave of strike action is set to cause yet more festive travel chaos across the UK.
As politicians accused union leaders of "holding the country to ransom", Border Force staff in airports including Heathrow, Manchester and Gatwick said they would go on strike on 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30 and 31 December.
Birmingham Airport, Cardiff Airport, Gatwick Airport, Glasgow Airport, Manchester Airport, Heathrow terminals 2, 3, 4, 5, and the Port of Newhaven will be affected.
As many as a fifth of Christmas holiday flights could be axed.
The move is likely to spark the return of chaotic scenes at airports that hit when Covid-19 restrictions were lifted earlier this year and there was a lack of trained staff to meet demand.
It comes after RMT union bosses announced a string of new rail strike dates also spanning the festive period.
With railway workers now set to walk out from 6pm on December 24 until 6am on December 27, the dates come in addition to existing strike action tabled by Aslef and National Rail engineering works.
The news means 40,000 members across Network Rail, as well as 14 other train operating companies, will walk out on 13, 14, 16, 17, 24, 25, 26 and 27 December, as well as a second wave of strike action on 3, 4, 6 and 7 January.
The latest wave of strike action coincides with major repair works scheduled across key rail routes, disruption that's likely to see many Christmas plans being shelved.
This latest strike is set to cause disruption in London and country wide.
Read more: RMT accused of ‘holding country to ransom’ as new Christmas train strike announced
It also follows the Aslef union's announcement that members will hold another strike on November 26 in a dispute over pay. The pre-existing strike was already scheduled to affect 12 train companies.
Network Rail had already planned engineering works from Friday December 23, until Tuesday January 3, with key routes from London stations cancelled or running reduced services.
The full list of strike dates, routes affected and most recent updates can be found below.
Which airports are affected by the strike action?
Birmingham Airport, Cardiff Airport, Gatwick Airport, Glasgow Airport, Manchester Airport, Heathrow terminals 2, 3, 4, 5, and the Port of Newhaven.
When will Border Force strikes take place?
23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30 and 31 December.
Which rail networks are affected by the strikes?
At present, the proposed strike action is set to affect National Rail services. In addition, Aslef
TFL is yet to confirm any participation in accordance with the National Rail strike action, so the underground, overground and DLR lines across London's transport network should remain running - albeit busier than usual.
GTR (including Thameslink, Southern, Great Northern and Gatwick Express)
Avanti West Coast
Chiltern Railways
CrossCountry
C2C
East Midlands Railway
Great Western Railway
Greater Anglia
London North Eastern Railway
Northern Trains
Southeastern
South Western
Transpennine Express
West Midlands Trains
Heathrow Express and London Northwestern Railway are also expected to be affected.
When will rail strike action take place?
At present, the below dates are affected by the newly announced strike action.
13-14 December
16-17 December
24 - 27 December
3-4 January
6-7 January
When will engineering works be taking place?
Proposed engineering works across the Christmas period mean there will be no services from Liverpool Street station between Christmas and New Year, no Southern or Gatwick Express trains from Victoria station over the same dates, and a reduced timetable from Euston station to places like Manchester, Birmingham, and Liverpool between December 24-30.
This scheduled maintenance will also affect Greater Anglia, Stansted Express and c2c services. Works will also affect Greater Anglia, Stansted Express and c2c services.
Signalling and track work is also set to take place at Clapham Junction and Balham, resulting in most trains being diverted via London Bridge.
December 25 - December 31
January 1 & January 2
The works will cost a total of £120m, Network Rail said.
Planned engineering works to Manchester Piccadilly, Birmingham New Street, Liverpool Lime Street, Birmingham International, Blackpool North, Scotland and Glasgow Central will run to a reduced timetable from London Euston
December 24 - 30
What are the knock-on effects?
The resulting strike action is set to see mass disruption for travellers across the UK travel network.
The strike action taking place across GWR trains will see an incredibly limited service running, with the rail operator warning those planning to travel for sporting events, meetings and Christmas markets.
The strike action coincides with the opening of Bath's renowned Christmas market, meanwhile sports fans visiting Cardiff for Wales' Autumn Internationals have been warned to expect widespread delays and travel chaos.
Those travelling through major London terminals including Clapham Junction and Liverpool Street will also see major disruption. Affecting routes to-and-from major airports including Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted, travellers are urged to check before travelling.
RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch announces four weeks of continuous industrial action
"We regret that passengers will be inconvenienced for another day. We don't want to be taking this action," said Aslef's general secretary Mick Whelan.
Meanwhile, Mick Lynch, RMT general secretary, said the string of strikes would send "a clear message" that rail workers want a better deal on pay and working conditions.
RMT had already warned another round of industrial action was ‘highly likely’ over the Christmas period as talks over pay and job security faltered.
Today's announcement follows six-months of rail disputes over jobs cuts, as well as pay and working terms, with impending travel chaos on the cards.
It's but the latest wave of strikes set out by workers, following balloted strike action already announced by members of the civil service and nurses union.
It comes as the union said that train operator Network was scheduled to present their new written proposal on 17 November but failed to do so.
Mick Lynch claps back at journalist who called him 'Mick Grinch'
Mick Lynch, RMT general secretary, had previously said: “I will be recommending that we set out further phases of sustained industrial action in support of our members.
“While we will remain available for meaningful negotiations it is now obvious that the other side is unwilling or unable to progress matters appropriately, so our action will be reinstated.”
Richard Haines, Network Rail’s chief executive, said the engineering work would mean "more reliable journeys" for passengers in future.
The works will provide vital improvements and routine maintenance for a more reliable railway in the long-term, Network Rail said. Network Rail carries out the work during holidays as fewer people usually travel by train.
"Christmas is an important time for the railway as it gives us the opportunity to get a lot of work done to improve the railway when trains aren't running, and therefore keep disruption for our passengers at a minimum,” he added.
The key disruption includes:
- Services to Manchester Piccadilly, Birmingham New Street, Liverpool Lime Street, Birmingham International, Blackpool North, Scotland and Glasgow Central will run to a reduced timetable from Euston December 24-30.
- There will be no Southern or Gatwick Express trains to or from London Victoria from December 25 to January 2. Most Southern trains will run to and from London Bridge instead, with replacement buses between Clapham Junction and East Croydon.
- Cannon Street station will be closed on Christmas Eve (December 24) and some services will start or terminate at London Bridge.
- Lewisham station will also be closed on Christmas Eve and there will be no trains between New Cross, St Johns and Dartford via Bexleyheath.
- Long-distance services from Euston on the West Coast Main Line will run to a reduced timetable.
People are urged to check before they travel by visiting National Rail Enquiries or the train operator’s website.
