Strike to create rail chaos

Train services across the Black Country will be plunged into chaos at Christmas and New Year due to strikes.

Conductors are staging three 24-hour walkouts on December 24, 31 and New Year's Day, making it impossible for Central Trains to run services.

And Virgin Trains today warned it would struggle to accommodate everyone hoping to use the rail network during the three days of industrial action.

More than 550 Central Trains conductors will walk out over the dispute which relates to the introduction of a new roster system and pay arrangements for the three dates.

RMT Union chiefs and company bosses have been locked in negotiations all week in an attempt to avoid industrial action.

But the company's managing director Steve Banagham said they could not agree a deal and the action was now unavoidable.

Some Virgin Trains services overlap the Central Trains network through the region so passengers will be hoping to use alternative trains during the three strike days. But the company has warned that there will not be room for everyone.

Centro has promised trams and buses will continue to run on every day but December 25 over the festive period.