Christmas traffic and travel LIVE as train operator urges people not to travel tomorrow

CrossCountry warns of train cancellations amid ‘extremely busy’ services

CrossCountry says it expects services to be “extremely busy” over the next couple of days, with some subject to cancellations or an amended timetable. Services are expected to be particularly busy on Friday 22 and Saturday 23 December, the train operator said.

CrossCountry said in a statement:

“Due to a high number of cancellations, CrossCountry Trains have announced temporary disruption over the next couple of weeks.

“During this period, passengers can expect adjusted timetables, potential delays and we expect our services to be extremely busy. We understand that this may inconvenience our passengers and appreciate the ongoing support and understanding.

“To minimise disruption, CrossCountry Trains have advised that passengers please check journey planners for the latest information before travelling, the last train to your station may be extremely busy, please allow extra time for your journey and where possible travel on additional services where provided for a comfortable journey back home.

“Our journey planners are the best place to find all the latest travel information.

“2023 has been a challenging year for all train operators. The widespread industrial action has greatly increased the levels of cancellation. General punctuality of the service has been impacted by recent storms and extreme weather which has led to speed restrictions being imposed and affecting passenger lateness. An increase in Network Rail structural and embankment incidents has also contributed to a rise in cancellations with significant incidents seen at Nuneham, Plessey, Aycliffe and at Lydney.

“We at CrossCountry continue to work closely with Network Rail on improving the punctuality and reliability of our services. This collaborative working has contributed to improvements in asset reliability, track quality and improved operational resilience at key locations and junctions that we operate over.”