CrossCountry passengers are being urged to prepare for major disruption on Saturday 6 December as the RMT union stages the first of four planned strikes this month. The industrial action involves customer service staff refusing to work, and the operator has warned that every route across its network will be affected.

A limited service will run on some lines, while other parts of the network will see no CrossCountry trains at all. Those services that do operate are expected to be extremely busy, and the timetable will finish much earlier than usual. Passengers are being advised to plan both outward and return journeys with care, as calling patterns may change and engineering work could lead to longer travel times.

Shiona Rolfe, CrossCountry’s Managing Director, said:

“We are disappointed that the RMT has announced more industrial action that will disrupt customers over the busy Christmas period. We’ve worked hard to make a fair and reasonable offer that addresses the key points raised in this dispute, and we believe we’ve made meaningful progress in negotiations. Our priority is now minimising disruption for those travelling on Saturdays in December – but while we will try to run as many services as possible, there will inevitably be significant disruption.”

The strike falls on one of the busiest weekends of the festive season, coinciding with Christmas markets, seasonal events and several football fixtures, increasing the likelihood of severe crowding and travel delays for those attempting to get around.

Image: CrossCountry