Summer travel chaos – Motorists warned rail strikes will cause delays

Motorists have been warned to expect long delays next weekend as rail strikes hit the summer holiday getaway.

Around five million planned rail trips will be curtailed as 30,000 trains are halted when members of the RMT union walk out on Thursday and Saturday this week, along with Saturday July 29.

Other services will suffer short-notice cancellations due to an overtime ban by Aslef union ­members from tomorrow until Saturday.

And another Tube strike will add to the pain, with RMT members on the London Underground striking from next Sunday until July 29.

Due to the volume of traffic, up to three-hour queues for passenger ferries to the Continent are also expected next weekend.

And flights from Birmingham airport will be cancelled due to 150 staff striking from Tuesday.

This will mark the start of summer travel chaos that will escalate with 1,000 check-in staff and baggage handlers at Gatwick walking out for eight days from July 28 to August 1, and from August 4 to 8.

EasyJet had already axed 1,700 flights, affecting 180,000 passengers, but an industry expert warns up to a million passengers could be affected if other operators follow suit.

Paul Charles, of travel consultancy The PC Agency, said: “There will be many more flight cancellations from other airlines. There could easily be a million passengers whose flights are cancelled.

“There are multiple causes – strikes, too many flights for Europe’s airspace, airport flight capacity issues, and airline engineer staff shortages.” Sarah Coles, at financial services firm Hargreaves Lans­­down, said: “Anyone flying this summer has the worry of cancellations on their mind.”

A Gatwick spokeswoman said: “Airlines’ contingency plans will ensure as many flights as possible operate.”

Around 16 million cars on leisure trips are expected to jam roads next weekend.

RAC spokesman Simon Williams said: “Friday afternoon will be busiest. And rail strikes will put more people in their cars.”

The Rail Delivery Group, which represents rail companies, confirmed that the RMT strike action will mean little or no service across large areas of the network.