Travel chaos to extend into June as rail closures, Coronation and strikes converge

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Ahead of the May Day bank holiday weekend – and a week before the Coronation celebrations begin – British travellers are facing mounting chaos. Avanti West Coast, the intercity rail operator on the line, says with some understatement: “Some journeys will take longer and may involve a rail replacement bus.” Buses will connect Milton Keynes with Stanmore on the London Underground. Other bank holiday weekend closures from Saturday 29 April to Monday 1 May include: The main line from Cambridge to London King’s Cross CrossCountry trains from Cambridge to Stansted airport. Therefore, we have no alternative but to press ahead with more strike action.” The transport secretary, Mark Harper, said: “By yet again denying their members a chance to have a say, and then striking over the UK’s first Eurovision event in 25 years – hosted for Ukraine – the RMT are simply further snubbing the very passengers they serve.” Merseyrail is unaffected and will be running extra trains over the Eurovision weekend – though the network is limited to the Liverpool region as far as Southport and Ormskirk plus the Wirral and Chester.