New Year misery for rail passengers as wave of strikes will cripple services across the UK from TODAY

RAIL passengers will begin the new year much as they have the previous two — facing disruption from a wave of strikes.

Avanti West Coast services on the London to Glasgow route will be hit by a walkout by ­hundreds of train managers today.

The action by RMT union members will also take place every Sunday from January 12 to May 25.

It means there will be a much-reduced timetable, starting later in the day and finishing earlier.

North Wales, Blackpool and Edinburgh will have no Avanti services.

The strikes were called last year by train managers angry at payments for ­working on days off.

They say senior managers parachuted in to cover roles when there are staff shortages earn more than them.

Three strikes last month were cancelled while they voted on a new pay offer — but that was rejected.

Avanti director Kathryn O’Brien said the company was disappointed, adding: “Our customers will face significantly disrupted journeys as a result.”

But the union said: ­“Sustained strike action is now the only way to focus management’s minds.”

Services were ravaged by strikes for two years — with a settlement reached only when Labour was elected, having vowed to bring peace to the railways.