Birmingham Commonwealth Games: Rail strikes see extra buses laid on

The Commonwealth Games are due to start in Birmingham on 28 July

More than 200 extra buses and coaches will be used to transport people to the Birmingham Commonwealth Games during planned rail strikes, transport chiefs say.

Railway workers in the RMT union are due to stage a one-day strike on 27 July, and drivers who are members of Aslef plan to walk out on 30 July.

The Games are due to start on 28 July.

Transport for West Midlands said contingency plans also included 60,000 park and ride spaces.

The public body, which is responsible for co-ordinating transport services in the region, has urged people to use public transport to travel to the Games, pledging that alternatives to rail would be available.

It said it had arranged for 50 extra coaches to take people from across the country into Birmingham and the wider West Midlands, adding these were available to book.

It added there would also be 150 extra free-to-use shuttle buses, plus a number of accessible buses, for spectators, staff and volunteers.

Travel West Midlands said it was "confident that anyone wanting to come to the Games will have a fantastic experience".

West Midlands Trains said it expected "significant disruption to rail services"

Both the RMT and Aslef unions say the action follows ongoing dispute over members' pay, with RMT also citing dispute over jobs and conditions.

Jonny Wiseman, West Midlands Trains customer experience director, said: "It's incredibly disappointing that the unions have chosen to take this course of damaging industrial action."

He said it would disrupt the plans of thousands of people travelling to the Games.

Andy Street, the West Midlands' Conservative mayor, tweeted: "It is deeply disappointing and frankly unnecessary for rail workers to decide to disrupt the Commonwealth Games in this way."

He urged them to "think again because it's not too late to do the right thing and protect what should be a collective celebration".