Rail strikes: Passengers warned not to travel by train next week

Train passengers are to be told to only travel next week if it is absolutely necessary, even if rail worker strikes are called off at the last minute.

Workers at the UK's biggest rail union, the RMT, are set to begin a series of walkouts from 13 December.

The industrial action is the latest in a long-running dispute between the unions, railway companies and Network Rail over pay, jobs and conditions.

It is understood disruption will be inevitable even if strikes are aborted.

Network Rail, which owns and maintains Britain's railway infrastructure, said 50% of the railways will be shut down on strike days, regardless of whether the walkouts go ahead.

Only 20% of services will operate between the hours of 07:30 and 18:30 GMT, it added.

Workers are set to stage two 48-hour long strikes next week on 13-14 December and 16-17 December.

Further industrial action is then planned from 18:30 on Christmas Eve until 27 December, and on 3-4 January and 6-7 January.

About 40,000 rail workers employed by Network Rail and 14 train companies are expected to take part, and there is likely to be disruption in the days around the strikes as well.