Rail passengers are suffering fresh travel chaos today after thousands of workers walked out on strike for fairer pay amid rising inflation and the cost of living crisis.

Only around one in five trains are running on Wednesday, on around half the network, with some areas having no trains all day.

Full-time carer Elizabeth Bolton, from Ascot, was left feeling angry after her austistic son was “distressed and upset” that he was not able to make his first day at a new job.

Jack , 23, was unable to get a train from Staines to London for his first shift at a pharmacy company.

“He lives on his own, so I had sorted out the tickets and times etc for him – with autism he needs to have plans made,” Ms Bolton said.

“My son is upset and doesn’t understand why they’re striking… He was nervous about a new job, so I had spent weeks preparing him, but never thought about the trains.

“I personally think [those who are striking]are selfish, although I understand their frustration.”

But people like Emma Davis, 35, in Sheffield, has been bringing bacon rolls to the official RMT picket line since early this morning.

The teacher said many people had shown their support by beeping their horns.

She said: “I think for all workers at the moment we are experiencing the biggest cost-of-living crisis in decades and the rail workers are really leading the way and resisting it and fighting for better conditions for all workers. I think it’s really important that all workers are getting behind them.

Emma went on strike over pay in 2015 and is part of the National Education Union.

She added: “It’s not just about rail workers, it’s about every single section of society feeling the pinch unless you’re at the very top and they’re getting much richer. I think that’s becoming more obvious, that they are profiting off the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis.”