Passengers across Britain have received a major pre-Christmas reprieve after a series of planned rail strikes were called off. The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) has resolved its dispute with CrossCountry Trains over pay and staffing, averting four consecutive Saturday walkouts that threatened festive chaos.
Strike Action Averted
The RMT had scheduled industrial action for every Saturday in December – the 13th, 20th, and 27th – which would have crippled the CrossCountry network. The operator, which carries approximately 100,000 passengers daily across a 775-mile route from Aberdeen to Penzance, had warned of significant disruption. However, following successful negotiations, the union confirmed the dispute was settled and all strike action is cancelled.
CrossCountry Managing Director Shiona Rolfe expressed relief, stating the company was "pleased that RMT has called off planned strike action throughout December." She added, "We look forward to welcoming passengers on board to take them into the festive season." The regular timetable will be reinstated, though Rolfe cautioned that the short notice might lead to some last-minute cancellations as services are restored.
Ongoing Engineering Works Cause Delays
While strike chaos is avoided, travellers still face significant disruption from pre-planned engineering projects. Network Rail conducts major upgrades over the festive period when passenger numbers traditionally drop.
This Saturday, services are expected to be busier than usual, and specific routes will be heavily affected. CrossCountry journeys between Derby and the North East and Scotland will see extended journey times of up to an hour due to engineering work around Chesterfield.
Nationwide, several key routes will be closed or severely limited:
- No trains between Milton Keynes and Rugby from December 25 to January 5.
- No services between Preston and Carlisle from December 31 to January 15.
- London Waterloo will be closed from Christmas Day until December 28, with a reduced service until January 4.
- No trains between Leeds and York from Christmas Day to January 2.
Network Rail insists that 95% of the network will run unaffected, but the entire system shuts down on Christmas Day, with most operators also running no trains on Boxing Day.
Broader Industry Context
The resolution with CrossCountry comes as the RMT continues broader disputes within the rail industry. Last month, the union highlighted ongoing pay concerns with Network Rail, arguing that staff have faced years of real-terms wage cuts despite productivity gains.
CrossCountry, owned by Arriva UK Trains, is among seven train operating companies slated for government nationalisation by October 2027. The RMT has consistently argued that decades of privatisation have driven up costs and hampered investment in the UK's rail infrastructure.
Passengers planning festive travel are strongly advised to check their specific journey details before setting off, as the combination of reinstated services, high passenger numbers, and extensive engineering work will make for a complex travel landscape.
