INDUSTRIAL action by railway workers was expected to have little impact on the numbers of people visiting the Lake District over the Easter Bank Holiday.

Members of the RMT rail union were on strike yesterday (Thursday) over the safety role of guards on several train operating companies, including Virgin Trains that operates the West Coast Main Line.

Virgin claimed 80 per cent of the service was running as usual in spite of the action. An RMT spokesman doubted the figure was that high and said Virgin had "hastily and inadequately" trained staff to fulfil the guards' role to keep its services running.

Cumbria Tourist Board's Paul Gardner said that given the "exceptional" weather visitors would find alternative ways of getting to the Lakes for Easter.

April 17, 2003 17:30