Britain will face further travel disruption next month after 20,000 rail workers prepare for three days of strikes in their long-running dispute over pay. 

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) will once again walk out at 14 train operators across England, after the companies failed to make revised pay offer. 

The latest strike action will impact fans hoping to attend two of the Ashes Tests and The Open Championship golf tournament next month. 

It comes as train drivers at 16 rail operators have refused to work overtime for six days next month, threatening travel disruption for tennis fans heading to Wimbledon.

When are the next train strikes?

The RMT said that 20,000 rail workers – including station staff, train managers and catering workers – across the UK are to strike on July 20, 22 and 29.

The three days of strikes will impact cricket fans travelling to fourth and fifth Ashes Tests.

The fourth Ashes Test is due to take place at Old Trafford between Wednesday July 19 to Sunday July 23. The fifth Test in London runs from Thursday July 27 until Monday July 31. 

The strikes also clash with The Open Championship, which runs from Thursday July 20 until Sunday July 23 at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club.

Meanwhile, the overtime ban on Aslef train drivers – which could lead to last-minute cancellations – will take place over six days, from Monday July 3 to Saturday July 8.

The industrial action coincides with the first week of this year’s Wimbledon tournament, which begins on Monday July 3.

It comes after RMT and Aslef strikes wreaked havoc for rail passenger in May, including thousands of people attending the FA Cup final at Wembley, the Epsom Derby, Beyoncé’s “Renaissance” world tour concert at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and the Eurovision final in Liverpool.

Which rail companies are affected?

Members of the RMT will strike at 14 rail companies, including:

• Avanti West Coast
• C2C
• Chiltern Railways
• CrossCountry
• East Midlands Railway
• GTR (includes Southern, Thameslink, Great Northern and Gatwick Express) 
• Great Western Railway
• Greater Anglia (includes Stansted Express)
• LNER
• Northern Trains
• Southeastern
• South Western Railway
• TransPennine Express
• West Midlands Trains
• GTR operates Southern, Thameslink, Great Northern and Gatwick Express.

The level of disruption from the Aslef overtime ban will vary for different operators. The train companies affected are: 

• Avanti West Coast
• Chiltern Railways
• Cross Country
• East Midlands Railway
• Greater Anglia
• GWR
• GTR Great Northern Thameslink
• Island Line
• LNER
• Northern Trains
• Southeastern
• Southern
• Gatwick Express
• South Western Railway main line
• SWR depot drivers
• TransPennine Express
• West Midlands Trains.

Advice for travelling during train strikes

National Rail warns passengers to expect “significant disruption” during strike days. Services are also likely to be disrupted and start later on the day immediately after.

National Rail has recommended that passengers:

• Use its Journey Planner. Passengers should check close to the time of each strike date.
• Use its Live Trains page for the most up-to-date information about arrivals and departures
• Plan ahead and check before you travel. This includes checking your entire journey, especially if you’re travelling on the first and last trains of strike days.

Why are 20,000 rail workers striking again?

The RMT has accused train operators of failing to make a new pay offer to end the long-running industrial action. 

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “My team of negotiators and I are available 24/7 for talks with the train operating companies and government ministers.

“Yet quite incredibly neither party has made any attempt whatsoever to arrange any meetings or put forward a decent offer that can help us reach a negotiated solution.”