Rail passengers on several West Coast routes will face a “significantly reduced” service on New Year’s Eve due to a strike by train managers.
Train managers who are members of the RMT union will walk out on December 31 and January 2 over rest days dispute.
Avanti says the few trains running will be very busy, and advises passengers to travel on either side of the strike dates. or claim a full refund if they choose not to travel due to the action.
The RMT said permanent strike action was “the only way to focus management’s minds on a negotiated settlement”.
In the New Year, Avanti West Coast says it will run one train per hour between Euston and Birmingham, Manchester and Preston, with a limited service to Glasgow.
It also says it will run a train every two hours between Liverpool and Crewe.
There will be no Avanti West Coast services in North Wales, Blackpool and Edinburgh.
Following the walkout during the New Year, Avanti West Coast train managers are also planning to strike every Sunday from January 12 to May 25.
Avanti has more information on the disruption caused by the strikes. on its website.
RMT members had originally planned to strike around Christmas, but the action was put on hold to consider a new offer.
However, the union said the revised proposal was rejected by 83 percent of the 400 members involved in the dispute, and new strike dates were announced.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said Avanti ignored train managers’ concerns and put forward an offer that members found “unacceptable”.
The union said members had rejected proposals to pay managers £300 or more to cover work on rest days such as Sundays.
“The company must come forward with a revised proposal so we can avoid further strike action until 2025,” Mr Lynch said.
Kathryn O’Brien, executive director of customer service at Avanti West Coast, said the rail company was “disappointed with the RMT’s call for strike action on December 31 and January 2”.
He added that he was grateful for customers’ “patience and understanding”.
Both Avanti and RMT said they were ready to work with each other to resolve the dispute.