Greater Anglia says trains will run despite strike

Greater Anglia said it would be running a normal service throughout the strike days

A train operator has said services would continue during planned strike action affecting 18 companies.

Members of the RMT union are striking over pay, job cuts and changes to terms and conditions.

Greater Anglia, which runs trains in Cambridgeshire, Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk and Hertfordshire, said services would run on all its routes "despite the planned strike action".

However, it warned "some routes will have a reduced frequency".

Strikes are also planned on 30 March and 1 April, which is the start of the Easter school holidays for many.

The affected companies are:

• Avanti West Coast

• Chiltern Railways

• CrossCountry

• East Midlands Railway

• Gatwick Express

• Greater Anglia (including Stansted Express)

• Great Northern

• Great Western Railway

• LNER

• London Northwestern Railway

• Northern

• Southern

• Southeastern

• South Western Railway

• Thameslink

• TransPennine Express

• West Midlands Railway

Greater Anglia said that on Saturday, all routes between 07.00 GMT and 23.00 would be running, "with all last trains reaching their destination by 23.00".

A spokesperson said: "Many routes will have a normal or near normal service during the hours that trains are running, but some routes will have a reduced frequency.

"Customers are advised to check journey details before they travel, as not only are the hours of operation different to normal and there are changes to service frequency (including for Norwich - Ipswich - Colchester - London intercity services, Hertford East to London services and for Ipswich to Lowestoft services on the East Suffolk Line), but there is also pre-planned engineering work on some routes, which results in additional service alterations.

"Similar service levels are expected on the other two planned strike days on 30 March and 1 April."

Network Rail, which manages the tracks, advises passengers to check train-operating company websites before setting out.