Train passengers are urged to plan ahead as strike action is due to take place tomorrow and January 2.
Train managers at Avanti West Coast who are members of the RMT union are planning to walk out.
They are taking industrial action after rejecting the company’s latest offer to resolve an ongoing dispute.
The rejected offer followed Avanti management paying £300 or more to management grades to cover rest day working. Train managers argue that Avanti has failed to address their concerns adequately, leading to the action.
Customers are strongly advised to travel either side of Tuesday December 31 and Thursday January 2.
A significantly reduced timetable will be in place on the two strike days – with fewer services running during limited operating hours. As a result, the trains which will run are expected to be busy.
On Tuesday December 31, Avanti West Coast will run one train an hour between Euston and each of Birmingham, Manchester, and Preston with a limited services to Glasgow. One train every other hour between Liverpool and Crewe will also run.
On Thursday January 2, the intercity operator will run one train per hour between Euston and each of Wolverhampton (via Birmingham), Crewe and Manchester.
There will also be a limited service between Glasgow and Preston.
These trains will operate during limited hours on both dates – with the first train of the day departing Euston around 8am and the last train of the day from Euston departing before 5pm.
The greatly reduced timetables will mean Edinburgh has no Avanti West Coast services on strike days.
Customers with existing tickets for December 31 and January 2 can travel any time from today, Monday December 30 up to and including Saturday January 4.
Alternatively, if customers who booked tickets to travel on either side of the strike days before industrial action was announced on December 17 would rather not travel, they can claim a full, fee-free refund from their point of purchase.
RMT members, who work as train managers at Avanti West Coast will also be striking every Sunday from January 12 until May 25 2025.
