Urgent warning to New Year’s travellers as train strikes cause chaos for days

Scots train travellers are facing DAYS of delays because of strikes by rail bosses.

People travelling from Scotland across the border are being warned to avoid travelling by train in the days around the planned strike if they want to avoid long delays. 

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union at Avanti West Coast will walk out on New Year’s Eve and January 2 in a dispute over rest day working.

Avanti say that a “significantly reduced” timetable will be in place on the two strike days.

Fewer services will run during limited operating hours. and trains which will run are expected to be busy.

On Tuesday, Avanti said it will run a limited service to Glasgow and just one train an hour between London Euston and each of Birmingham, Manchester, and Preston.

One train every other hour between Liverpool and Crewe will also run.

On Thursday, January 2, there will also be a limited service between Glasgow and Preston and they plan to run one train an hour between Euston and each of Wolverhampton (via Birmingham), Crewe and Manchester.

These trains will operate during limited hours on both dates – with the first train of the day leaving Euston around 8am and the last train of the day from Euston departing before 5pm.

The greatly reduced timetables will mean North Wales, Blackpool and Edinburgh have no Avanti West Coast services on strike days.

Avanti said passengers who do travel should plan ahead, expect disruption, and check the details of their last train home.

It comes as Scots travellers in the Highlands faced major disruption today as rising river levels forced the closure of the mainline at Kingussie.

A video shared by Network Rail shows the Gynack Burn dangerously close to overtopping the rail bridge.

Kathryn O’Brien, executive director of customer experience at Avanti West Coast, said the strike action was ‘disappointing’.

She said: “We’re disappointed by the RMT calling strike action on December 31 and January 2.

“Our customers will face significantly disrupted journeys as a result, and I would like to thank them for their patience and understanding.

“On the two strike days we’ll have a significantly reduced service, so customers with tickets for December 31 or January 2 are strongly advised to travel on alternative dates or claim a full fee-free refund. We remain open to working with the RMT to resolve the dispute.”

RMT members who work as train managers at Avanti West Coast will also be striking every Sunday from January 12 until May 25 2025.

An RMT spokesman 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.”

Meanwhile Scots have been told to brace themselves for a wet and windy New Year’s Eve as rain and snow threatens to batter the country.

The Met Office has issued storm warnings for Hogmany with heavy downpours and snowfall threatening to cause “significant disruption” across northern Scotland, with up to 140mm of rainfall today and tomorrow.

Yellow weather warnings have been issued for many parts of the country, stretching from Glasgow to the Highlands.

From Inverness to Aviemore that alert has since been upgraded to amber with locals being warned to brace for torrential rain.

Up to 20cm of snow could blanket parts of the country whilst strong winds promise to “exacerbate impacts”, creating “blizzard conditions” which may freeze power lines.

A warning of “persistent snow” likely to cause road disruption in Orkney and Shetland has been issued from 5am onwards on New Year’s Eve.