Covid, closures and strikes impact thousands of Christmas travellers
Planned closures as well as strikes and Covid have interfered with UK travellers’ Christmas plans, with disruption set to continue this week.
Rail operators – including Greater Anglia and ScotRail – were forced to make adjustments to their timetable after staff fell ill with Covid.
“The rapid spread of the Omicron variant has seen a recent spike of Covid-related absences among ScotRail staff – with some having tested positive, others awaiting PCR test results, and many who are self-isolating as a result of being in close contact with someone who has tested positive,” ScotRail said today in a statement.
“In order to provide customers with a level of certainty about which services are running in the coming weeks, ScotRail will make temporary changes to its timetable from Tuesday, 4 January 2022.”
Passengers were advised to plan ahead as network upgrades and strike actions hit routes. Services between Manchester and Leeds, as well as trains to and from London Euston are affected by upgrade and engineering works.
“While some essential works are taking place over the festive period to upgrade the railway for passengers, we’ve worked hard with train operators to reduce the impact on passengers as far as possible so that they can spend time with their families and friends this Christmas,” said Network Rail’s chief executive Andrew Haines.
Member of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) went on strike on Friday, affecting thousands of people travelling home for Christmas, while industrial action is set to continue aboard East Midlands Railways until 2 January.
In the capital, Tube planned closures have impacted thousands of Londoners. The Piccadilly line between Heathrow and Acton Town will be closed until 30 December, while services on the Jubilee and Metropolitan lines will be suspended until tomorrow.