Contingency plans are being put in place ahead of national train strikes set to take place in the next few weeks - which include telling people to work from home and estimating exam grades for pupils who cannot get to their GCSEs. 50,000 rail workers are to go on strike on June 21, 23 and 25 in a dispute over pay and job cuts.
Freight trains will be prioritised over passenger trains in a bid to ensure supermarket shelves and petrol forecourts do not run out, as well as securing fuel supplies to power stations. Passengers will be advised not to travel unless absolutely necessary, reports The Mail.
Emergency plans include no passenger trains before 7.30 am or after 6.30 pm during the three days of industrial action - with services disrupted across the whole period from June 21 to 26.
A senior rail source said: "Services will be extremely limited and we’ll need to massively reduce hours of operation while keeping freight moving."
National Rail has suspended the sale of tickets for the strike days.
The strikes will disrupt major events, including the Glastonbury festival, England v New Zealand cricket, the British athletics championships, two by-elections and concerts with Elton John and the Rolling Stones. Students who miss their GCSEs because of rail strikes could be given a grade that takes ‘circumstances beyond their control’ into consideration, reports the Mail.
The Joint Council for Qualifications said: "In circumstances where a candidate cannot sit their exam through circumstances beyond their control, then special consideration will apply."
