Rail passengers warned to expect travel chaos with two more days of strike action

Rail passengers have been warned to expect a vastly reduced serviced and full carriages with more train strikes due to take place tomorrow (Thursday) and Saturday.

Members of the RMT union are due to go on strike on March 16 and 18 as part of a long-running dispute over pay and conditions.

Train company Avanti West Coast has urged passengers to check before travelling and warned services will be slashed on strike days.

READ MORE: What the Spring Budget means for you and your money

John Leach, assistant general secretary of the RMT, told the PA new agency: “We are in this until we win – we are not going away.”

Union officials involved in the disputes across the country on Wednesday - budget day - warned that industrial action would continue throughout spring, and into summer, unless they were resolved.

Avanti West Coast will operate an amended timetable on strike days, meaning fewer trains and few stops on services that survive. The two 24-hour strikes will result in Avanti operating a third of its normal timetable.

With fewer services running and a significantly reduced operation, trains could be busy, and customers are advised to check details before setting off for the station.

Those who intend to travel are urged to plan ahead, expect disruption, and check the details of their last train home. Customers who choose not to travel are able to claim a refund.

As part of its strike contingency plans, Avanti West Coast will run one train per hour between Euston and each of Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, and Preston (with a limited number extended to Carlisle). Macclesfield train station will be closed.

These trains will operate during limited hours, with the first train of the day departing Euston just before 8am and