LONDON: New Year’s travel chaos is expected as a 24-hour rail strike has commenced and is predicted to cause disruption.

Services operated by CrossCountry and South Western Railway (SWR) are being affected after members of the RMT union said they would walk out for 24 hours on 31 December, as part of a long-running dispute over working conditions.

The biggest disruption was predicted to hit services to and from London Waterloo and the government has accused the union of causing “misery” for passengers. Workers at both rail companies were reported to be solidly supporting strikes which are disrupting New Year’s Eve train services.

Mick Cash, RMT’s general secretary, said there was “chaos and confusion in the rail industry surrounding the Government’s position which makes it almost impossible to negotiate”.

The union says it has identified 141 stations on SWT alone which would become “crime hot spots and no-go areas for vulnerable and disabled passengers” if guard roles there are left unfilled. Cash said: “No staff on trains, combined with no staff on the stations, will be a toxic mix for passengers at the locations we have identified which will increasingly become crime hot spots and no-go areas for vulnerable passengers, while drivers will also be alone and exposed.

“Our members are striking today on South Western Railway over these fundamental issues of public safety, security and access.

CrossCountry will be running a reduced service between Newcastle and Edinburgh and there will be no trains between Glasgow and Aberdeen.

The Independent