Warning as rail passengers urged to only travel if necessary on Saturday amid huge strike disruption

RAIL passengers are urged only to travel if necessary on Saturday amid massive strike disruption.

One in nine services will run, with none in some areas.

The action is the first time four unions — RMT, Aslef, Unite and TSSA — have walked out together in the row over pay and jobs.

Trains will start later in the morning and finish earlier in the evening. Unlike previous strike days, there will be no trains between London and cities including Edinburgh, Manchester, Liverpool and Newcastle.

People heading to Sunday’s London Marathon and the Tory conference in Birmingham will be affected.

Those passengers who must travel are advised to plan ahead and check when their last train will depart.

Further strikes have been called for Wednesday and the following Saturday. Network Rail boss Andrew Haines said passengers wanting to travel on the three dates are asked only to do so if “absolutely necessary”.

He added: “Despite our best efforts to find a breakthrough in talks, rail unions remain intent on continuing and coordinating their strike action.”

"This serves only to ensure our staff forgo even more of their pay unnecessarily, as well as causing even more disruption for our passengers and further damaging the railway's recovery from the pandemic.

Daniel Mann, at the Rail Delivery Group, said: “These strikes are unnecessary and damaging. They disrupt passengers’ plans and harm the industry’s recovery.

"It is particularly disheartening that this weekend's strike will hit the plans of thousands of runners who have trained for months to take part in the iconic London Marathon.

";While we have done all we can to keep some services running, passengers should only travel by rail if absolutely necessary.