Drivers are being urged to plan ahead due to strike action by National Highways staff.
Members of the PCS unions will walk out tomorrow (3rd January) and Wednesday.
National Highways say “well-rehearsed resilience plans” are in place, with bosses saying they are confident that the industrial action will have “minimal overall impact”.
Duncan Smith, executive director of operations at National Highways, said:
“A small minority of front-line operational staff are involved in the PCS strikes, which have had minimal overall impact so far.
“We have well-rehearsed resilience plans in place to continue managing and operating our network safely, including when wider action takes place in the New Year.
“Millions of people rely on our roads and there is a possibility that they may be busier than usual on strike days, particularly as they fall on the first working days after the festive break when industrial action is also being staged on other transport modes.
“We’d urge drivers to plan ahead and check their vehicle is in good working condition.”
Duncan Smith, National Highways
People are advised to check the National Highways traffic website for road conditions and any congestion before setting off on a journey.
The industrial action will not include staff in roles such as signage and signals and road surface maintenance.
I would imagine most people are used to the strikes now and have plans in place ? Let them strike and I hope the rail operators issue them all new contracts and they can either accept these or leave, changes are needed and they simply need to accept that sooner or later it will happen !!!
Mr leggs train drivers don’t grow on trees, it takes 12 months to train one and another 6 months to learn a new route
I would recommend would be striker’s take a look at the 1970s and 1980s, inflation and interest rate’s sky high a government handing out pay raises every month (linked to inflation) home owners in negative equity, mainly caused by unsustainable pay increases forced on the country by bullying unions. Most union officials then and now are unaffected by loss of pay and inflation.
They should go back to work or face losing their jobs to AI, which could easily do their job. Fact is everyone of working class and slightly more are paid poorly yet going on strike isnt going to achieve getting increase in pay. It will only encourage the push for further AI to control trains which is a simple task, thats a fact. Few buttons pressed and a hand on the brakes, amd some awareness it doesnt take genius.
Richard Nelson… The difficulty is that, for no fault of their own, their earnings have been reduced by the equivalent of 10% and more. The business is increasing its prices by close to inflation. Not only are the companies offering increases far lower than inflation but they want staff reductions to lower their outgoings. Apparently they think there are no health and safety issues associated with this. The nurses and ancillary services are similarly situated, as are many others in the country. The barristers were able to negotiate an inflation busting deal.
For us all, especially the retired and low earners, inflation is a disaster. The government is supposed to control the value of money. They, of course, blame all and sundry for their failure to do this. Perhaps you might address some of your disquiet in that direction.
Mike. “Learn a new route” once the thing is moving what choice of direction does the driver have?
Brian the driver of a train has to know where all the signals,points,speed restrictions,stations etc are on the route. This is all learnt by riding shotgun with a driver who knows it you obviously have no idea how railways work
I see everyone got too angry and desperate to comment about the rail strikes without bothering to actually read the article (or even the headline) and work out it has nothing to do with the railways. Good work you angry people, keep on reacting instead of understanding.