New Year Travel Chaos: Avanti West Coast Strike Hits Hard
Passengers planning to travel with Avanti West Coast around New Year’s Day face major disruption. Train managers from the RMT union are launching strike action on December 31 (New Year’s Eve) and January 2. Expect a drastically slashed timetable and limited service hours. Avanti urges travellers to pick alternative days if they can.
Slashed Services and Key Route Hits
Avanti will run a seriously restricted schedule on strike days, operating trains only between 8am and 5pm. Here’s the damage:
- December 31:
- One train per hour from London Euston to Birmingham, Manchester, and Preston.
- Limited Liverpool to Crewe services.
- No trains to Macclesfield, North Wales, Blackpool, or Edinburgh.
- January 2:
- One train per hour from London Euston to wolverhampton/" title="Wolverhampton" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">Wolverhampton (via Birmingham), Crewe, and Manchester.
- Limited Glasgow to Preston service.
- No trains serving Warrington Bank Quay or Wigan North Western.
Avanti warns of busy trains during these days and advises passengers to check exact timings in advance.
Ticketing Perks: Flexibility to Dodge Disruption
- Tickets for travel on strike days (Dec 31 & Jan 2) can be used anytime between December 30 and January 4.
- Full refunds available for those who decide to cancel trips.
Avanti Exec Pleads for Patience
Kathryn O’Brien, Avanti West Coast’s Executive Director of Customer Experience, expressed frustration over the strikes:
“Our customers will face significantly disrupted journeys as a result, and I would like to thank them for their patience and understanding.”
She urges travellers to avoid strike days or seek refunds if needed.
RMT Hits Back: No Deal, More Strikes Loom
The RMT union slammed Avanti’s latest offer as unacceptable, calling for urgent revised proposals to avoid prolonged strikes. General Secretary Mick Lynch said:
“Avanti West Coast created this dispute by ignoring train managers’ concerns and presenting offers those members deemed unacceptable. The company must come forward with a revised proposal so we can avoid more strike action further into 2025.”
Future Disruptions: Strikes Through Spring 2025
Strike action will continue on all Sundays from January 12 to May 25, 2025, adding fresh headaches for Avanti passengers planning weekend travel.
Stay alert for updates via Avanti West Coast’s website and social media to keep your travel plans on track.
