How are the rail strikes affecting the Midlands today?

Only around a fifth of normal services will run on Saturday, and half of lines will be closed due to strike action. Credit: PA IMAGES

Train operators have released plans for how their services will be altered during today's rail strikes.

Only around a fifth of normal services will run on Saturday, and half of lines will be closed, as members of the RMT Union walk out over pay and conditions.

Trains will only operate between 7.30am and 6.30pm on today and will start later than normal on the following mornings.

Here is a breakdown of each operator’s plan for Saturday:

Avanti West Coast

The operator has been running a reduced timetable since Sunday due to many drivers no longer volunteering to work on their rest days for extra pay.

On strike days there will be one train per hour in both directions between London Euston and each of Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester and Preston.

Several areas will not be served, such as Blackpool, Edinburgh, North Wales and Shrewsbury.

Chiltern Railways

No trains will run north of High Wycombe or Aylesbury due to the combination of planned engineering work and the strike.

There will be two trains per hour in both directions between London Marylebone and High Wycombe, and one per hour between London Marylebone and Aylesbury via Amersham.

CrossCountry

No direct services will run between Birmingham and Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Nottingham, Peterborough and Stansted Airport.

A very limited service is planned from Birmingham to Manchester and Southampton, and from Derby to Edinburgh via Leeds, York and Newcastle.

East Midlands Railway

Just one train per hour will run in each direction between London St Pancras and each of Nottingham and Sheffield; and between Derby and both Matlock and Nottingham.

All other routes will be closed.

West Midlands Railway

A limited service will operate only between Lichfield Trent Valley and Redditch/Bromsgrove via Birmingham New Street; Crewe and Birmingham New Street via Wolverhampton; and Birmingham New Street and London Euston via Northampton.

West Midlands Railway have apologised to customers for the disruption strikes are causing. Credit: PA