THERE will be no CrossCountry services between Newton Abbot and Paignton next Saturday due to planned industrial action.

The train operator will run a limited service on Saturday, December 6 due to planned action by the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT).

There will be fewer services will operate and there will be no service on some parts of the CrossCountry network, including between Newton Abbot and Paignton.

The strike – the first of four planned in December - will see RMT union members in customer service roles declining to work.

All CrossCountry routes will be impacted, with a limited service on some CrossCountry routes and no CrossCountry services on some parts of the network. Services will also finish much earlier than usual.

Trains that do run will be significantly busier than usual and services will also finish much earlier in the day - so passengers are advised to plan return journeys carefully.

There will also be changes to some calling patterns for services that do run, and planned engineering work will mean some journeys take longer than usual.

Shiona Rolfe, CrossCountry’s Managing Director, said: ‘We are disappointed that the RMT has announced more industrial action that will disrupt customers over the busy Christmas period.

‘We have worked hard to make a fair and reasonable offer that addresses the key points raised in this dispute, and we believe we’ve made meaningful progress in negotiations.

‘Our priority is now minimising disruption for those travelling on Saturdays in December – but while we will try to run as many services as possible, there will inevitably be significant disruption’.