Rail passengers warned to travel only if absolutely necessary during national rail industrial action next week

Severe impact also expected 24-27 December due to RMT strikes at Network Rail

Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), which runs Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Southern and Thameslink trains, is warning passengers to travel only if absolutely necessary due to national rail industrial action by the RMT on 13 & 14 and 16 & 17 December.

There will be far fewer trains than usual and - south of the capital - mostly on major routes only which means that, as with strike days before, some stations won’t have any services at all (see service map).

Services will start later each day and finish much earlier than normal (from 7.30am to 4.30/6.30pm). Additionally, services will also start later on the day in between each 48-hour strike, on 15 December and the day after, Sunday 18 December.

Although train operator staff are also taking action, striking signallers at Network Rail have the greatest impact on the service.

First and last trains will be particularly busy. If passengers absolutely have to travel, they should consider going later or returning earlier if possible, especially as no alternative transport can be made available.

School children and students returning from university in particular should plan ahead and check online at National Rail Enquiries where updated train times will be available from 9 December.

Service details and ticketing arrangements are listed in editor’s notes

Further industrial action

Currently, services are set to be affected by three further pieces of industrial action:

• 18 December – 2 January: a national train company overtime ban by RMT union members. More information will be available in the coming days but trains may be subject to change and cancellation on the day.
• 24-27 December: a strike by RMT union members at Network Rail. Services are likely to be severely impacted on 24 and 27 December when we would normally run trains (there are no trains on Christmas Day and Boxing Day).
• 3 & 4 and 6 & 7 January: national strike by RMT members at Network Rail and train companies. As with the service on 13 & 14 and 16 & 17 December, there will be far fewer trains, starting much later and finishing much earlier each day. Passengers are advised to travel only if absolutely necessary in this period.

Online journey planners will be updated for this further industrial action when details of the impact have been worked out. Passengers should double-check their journey each day before setting off, including the return journey.

GTR Chief Operating Officer Angie Doll said: “We're really sorry for the enormous inconvenience this RMT action will cause to all of our customers during next week's two 48-hour strikes. Regrettably, we are asking customers to travel only if absolutely necessary, and check service information for their local station as some routes, once again, won’t have trains at all.

“We understand how next week’s strikes and the uncertainty caused by the ensuing industrial action will be incredibly difficult for customers, particularly over the festive and New Year period. We don’t want our customers to get caught out and urge you to plan ahead and make alternative travel arrangements if necessary.”

Steve Montgomery, chair of the Rail Delivery Group which has been leading negotiations for train companies, said: “Regrettably, the RMT leadership’s refusal to put our proposed 8% pay offer to its membership means we are unable to reach a resolution at this stage, although we remain open to talks. With the deadline having passed where disruption could be avoided even if strikes were called off, our focus is on giving passengers the maximum possible certainty so they can make their festive plans.

“No one wanted to see these strikes go ahead, and we can only apologise to passengers and to the many businesses who will be hit by this unnecessary and damaging disruption.

“We continue to urge RMT leaders to put our proposals to their members rather than condemning them to weeks of lost pay either side of Christmas during a cost-of-living crisis.”