Train strikes: Travel chaos today with only one in five trains running and half of lines closed as – how it affects you
BRITS are bracing for ANOTHER day of travel chaos as only one in five trains run and half of lines SHUT.
Millions of Brits' weekend getaway and seaside day trip plans are in shambles as rail bosses warn they must ONLY travel if absolutely necessary.
And routes must be checked well in advance to avoid the worst of the disruption.
Many seaside resorts will have no services on Saturday, including Bournemouth, Dorset; Blackpool, Lancashire; Margate, Kent; Llandudno, North Wales; and Skegness, Lincolnshire.
Cornwall will also have no trains.
Services will primarily be restricted to main lines - but even those will only be open between 7.30am and 6.30pm.
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And disruption will continue into Sunday due to the aftermath of today's strike action - with trains in the wrong place so unable to leave on time in the morning.
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) are on strike for 24 hours today as their bitter dispute over jobs, pay and conditions continues.
Steve Montgomery, who chairs the Rail Delivery Group, which represents operators, said: "We are very disappointed that the RMT union leadership has chosen to take action which will severely inconvenience the millions of people who had plans over the weekend.
"While we are doing our best to minimise disruption to passengers, our advice is to only travel if it is necessary, and if you are going to travel, please plan ahead."
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Meanwhile, Network Rail chief executive Andrew Haines said "passengers will suffer again" today as a fraction of trains run.
This week was miserable for commuters and travellers across the country as rail workers walked out on Tuesday and Thursday.
Wednesday and Friday were no better, with the aftermath of strike days causing massive delays and service disruption.
And this week's misery may only be the beginning as a "summer of discontent" holds Britain in its grip.
There are fears militant unions are already drawing up plans for a crippling second wave of strikes in just two weeks.
Talks with RMT have been held throughout the week and will continue in the coming days, but there is little sign of a breakthrough.
RAIL PAIN
Speaking on the BBC's Question Time, Mr Lynch said: "The companies have told me face to face they could achieve a guarantee of no compulsory redundancies", but added they "are not being allowed to".
"They won't write it down on a piece of paper and give it to us as a commitment," he said, to which Conservative MP Rachel Maclean replied: "No organisation can give that guarantee."
Prime Minister Boris Johnson earlier branded the strikes a "terrible idea" and insisted there is "no point" having railways that are "so uneconomic" that ticket prices are prohibitive to passengers.
He told Sky News today: "I would say, given the circumstances we're in, I think what we want to see is reform and improvement in the way the railways work, and modernisation.
"When you've got a 25 per cent fall in ridership, which we've got at the moment, we've got the Government putting billions and billion (into it).
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"We're putting more into the railways than any previous government.
"I think the traveling public has a right to expect some basic reforms, like with ticket offices, like with walking time, and some of these other practices that really nobody defends except the union leaders."
