Due to national strikes, almost no trains run in Britain during the Christmas holidays. Traditionally, there is no rail traffic on Christmas Day. As the route operator Rede Ferroviária announced, due to the collective action of the National Union of Railway, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT), tomorrow there will also be no trains running. The strike also affects train services to London’s Heathrow and Stansted airports.
The RMT called for significant wage increases and better working conditions. Rail suppliers reject this with support from the Conservative government. 26th December, Boxing Day, is actually one of the busiest days on the UK rail network, with dozens of people returning home from visiting relatives.
Long traffic jams are expected on the roads because of the strike. The AA Motorists Association expects more than 15 million cars to be on the road as a result. Long-distance bus providers reported a sharp increase in demand.