Boxing day Tube strike 2011: Families face travel chaos as rail shutdown goes on

By
Rick Massey And Nick Fagge

Last updated at 9:23 AM on 26th December 2011

The rail network will remain at a halt in most of the country today, bringing the prospect of widespread travel chaos.

Thousands of trains have been cancelled and a cynical Boxing Day strike by London Underground drivers will severely hit Tube services in the capital.

Rail companies decided to ‘cancel Christmas’ on the majority of networks, shutting down services for up to 60 hours and forcing millions of families on to busy roads.

Tube strike: Some rail companies are shut down for 60 hours

Tube strike: Some rail companies are shut down for 60 hours

A limited Bank Holiday service will resume late tomorrow but many trains running between Christmas and New Year will be subject to delays, diversions, cancellations and dreaded bus replacement services.

Passenger groups, rail experts and politicians voiced their anger at the situation.

Philip Haigh, of Rail Magazine, said: ‘It’s almost a three-day shutdown. Local services should be running – on Boxing Day at the very least.

‘There’s clearly a demand for travel on Boxing Day. You only have to look at the queues in the busy shops and shopping centres. It sends out the wrong signal that the railways are shut for business.’

Anthony Smith, of watchdog Passenger Focus, said: ‘There appears to be increased passenger demand for Boxing Day train travel, so it makes sense for more rail services on that day.’

By contrast in Germany it is business as usual with national rail network Deutsche Bahn running a general service on both Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

In the UK, rail operators East Coast, Virgin West Coast, First Great Western, Northern Rail, CrossCountry, South West Trains and Southeastern are among those writing off the majority of Christmas with blank departure and arrivals boards.

Passenger groups, rail experts and politicians are all angry at the situation

Passenger groups, rail experts and politicians are all angry at the situation

Services were run down early on
Christmas Eve in advance of a complete shutdown of the rail network on
Christmas Day, with services axed in most areas today and a late start
tomorrow. Adding insult to misery, London Underground services will be
affected by the Tube drivers’ strike over their demand for extra pay to
work on Boxing Day.

Of the
25 rail companies, only five are running a ‘limited’ Boxing Day service –
Southern, Heathrow Express, Stansted Express, Gatwick Express, and
ScotRail. The disruption comes as passengers face fare increases of up
to 11 per cent in the New Year despite worsening punctuality, with one
train in eight running late.

Around 20million rail journeys are expected to be made over the festive period. However passengers visiting the official National Rail inquiries website are told bluntly that there are limited services running.

Kings Cross Railway Station during a rail strike. Of 25 rail companies, only five are running a limited service for Boxing Day

Kings Cross Railway Station during a rail strike. Of 25 rail companies, only five are running a limited service for Boxing Day

It states that there is ‘only a limited service running around the London and Glasgow areas on Boxing Day’ and adds: ‘In general, train services will finish earlier than usual on New Year’s Eve, and start later in the day on the Bank Holidays – Tuesday December 27 Monday January 2.

‘No trains run in Scotland on New Year’s Day, while some operators run additional early morning trains from London on New Year’s Day morning following the celebrations in central London.’ Network Rail claims there has been a 35 per cent increase to 54,000 in the number of services running over the period this year compared to last – although about half the number of replacement buses.

The Association of Train Operating Companies says taxpayers would have to pay for a Christmas Day and improved Boxing Day service.

Labour accused the Government of failing to restore a Boxing Day rail service despite pledging to do so in Opposition.

But a Department for Transport spokesman claimed train operators would be running the same level of service today as in other years.

She said: ‘There is much lower demand for trains on Boxing Day and requiring operators to run them would require significant public funding. This would not represent good value for taxpayers’ money.’

Here’s what other readers have said. Why not add your thoughts,
or debate this issue live on our message boards.

The comments below have not been moderated.

in one respect people will eye this strike as greed, but how many others out here earn in excess of £100000 per annum and work a 5 day week, so earn this amount daily for in many cases little effort, no exposure to danger and general non responsibility,

“Roger, What about the people working to bring you electric to power your computer, same applies to DM working to bring this to our screens, then there’s tv, radio etc, etc too many to mention. They’re working so must be disrespectful of British culture too?”
In this case it should be up to their compaies to pay for xmas transport in forms of cabs or petrol payback.. not at the tax payers expense (like public transport)

Tube trains are vital to the capital. They could run on automatic with remote override if necessary and failsafes installed. I’d bet it would be statistically far safer than left to normal driver control too. Be interesting to see just how much sacked drivers would be able to earn doing something else…!

When I started working on the railway there were trains on Boxing Day but they were hardly used (many ran empty) and this was when there were fewer cars. Most people are where they want to be by midday Christmas Eve and have no intention of moving again for several days. Even if the trains were running people nip about on short journeys using cars. The period is the best opportunity to undertake major improvement works that will benefit passengers when they DO use the trains throughout the rest of the year. Passengers quite rightly demand a good railway but there are times when the lines have to be shut to get certain work done. Despite the DM wailing that people can’t visit their loved ones (they can and do – by car and for 99% it will be their choice anyway) Christmas is the one time of year when the very least actually want to travel and is the best -if not perfect time (there isn’t one) – to get some major and vital work done.

Cant wait for trains that dont need drivers . Then these greed parasites will have to get a real job,and live in the real world like the rest of us.

I avoid trade union dominated organisations whenever I can. They frequently sabotage our economy and therefore aid and abet our overseas competitors. They don’t care. Whether it’s transport, teaching or civil servants, they all just don’t get it. Manufacturing and Services make pay day possible for them They add no value to our economy, they are just a drain.
It’s about time arrests were made for this sabotage and the traitors gaoled for a very long time.

I remember the trains of the 1950`s, and British Rail.
Go almost anywhere by train, that is until Beaching and Thatcher go their hands on the system.

Germans show Brits how it should be done again,no wonder Brazil is overtaking you as well.

Why is there no train service between London and Canterbury today, Boxing Day….?!? Buses are operating, why not the trains…?!? Not required for shopping or sightseeing trip but to get to work, there are those who need to; country can’t just shut down, are people to be cared for, protected 24hrs a day 365 days a year.

“Families face travel chaos….. ” – because, of course, single people never travel anywhere…….!!!

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