Weekend travel warning as rail strikes continue

A new alert has been issued to commuters who plan to travel by train over the weekend amid another rail strike.

Reportedly, only a fifth of services will be running while half of the lines will be closed as 40,000 members of the RMT union at Network Rail and 13 train operators walk out for the third day this week. Passengers are being warned by operators to "only travel by train if necessary" and to plan their journey in advance.

It comes after many commuters avoided the rail disruption by working at home on Tuesday and Thursday. Despite this, many travellers over the weekend may be determined to take the train for things such as a day trip or holiday to visit friends or relatives or attend an event, despite the industrial action.

Read more: 'I've been a Northern train guard for nearly 30 years - here's why I'm striking'

In response to the strikes, many seaside resorts will not be operating on Saturday, including Bournemouth, Dorset, Blackpool, Lancashire, Margate, Kent, Llandudno, north Wales, Skegness, and Lincolnshire. Meanwhile, Cornwall will have no trains operating at all.

It will mostly be the main lines that will see the most restricted services across Britain, however, they will still be open between 7.30m and 6.30pm. These disruptions will carry on well into Sunday.

It is believed that around only 60 per cent of trains were expected to run on Friday due to a delayed start of services after signallers and control room staff that worked overnight shifts joined the strike. Despite the ongoing strikes, no resolution to the dispute over pay, jobs and conditions has yet been reached.

Steve Montgomery, who chairs the Rail Delivery Group, which represents operators, said: “We are very disappointed that the RMT