MILLIONS of Brits have been hit by travel chaos this half-term after a train derailed and airport staff announced a three-day strike. Passengers are suffering major disruption after a freight train derailed on a major route between England and Scotland on Wednesday afternoon. Services are being cancelled and delayed because of the incident on the West Coast Main Line between Carlisle and Oxenholme Lake District , National Rail Enquiries said.
Some lines are blocked and a very limited train service is running on the line that remains open. Train operators Avanti West Coast and TransPennine Express issued a "do not travel" alert, urging passengers not to attempt to use their services for journeys between Preston and Scotland on Thursday. Ticket holders can delay journeys until Friday or travel with other operators.
And the news comes as hundreds of Border Force officers at Heathrow Airport are set to launch a three-day strike on Friday in a dispute over rosters. The Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) said more than 500 of its members working on passport control at terminals 2, 3, 4 and 5 are taking action in protest at new rosters being imposed. The union said more than 250 staff face losing their jobs or being moved on to other work against their will.
Those who remain will have longer shifts, inflexible shift-swapping rules, no clarity on booking leave and no way to work around caring responsibilities, the PCS claimed. A petition has been launched in support of the wo.
