The National Rail Enquiries website has crashed on the first day of major rail strikes taking place across Britain.

Passengers attempting to use the service to find out what trains are running during the rail strike are being shown a message stating: “500 Internal Server Error”.

This is likely because of the huge volume of users trying to access the service all at once to see if there are any train routes they can take to get to their destination.

Approximately 80% of train services will be cancelled today as a result of the strikes, likely causing the surge in users trying to access the website.

Many stations, like a usually busy Dover Priory station have been completely deserted this morning as commuters seek to find other ways to get to work.

St Helens Star: Many train stations are much quieter than usual or deserted this morning (PA)Many train stations are much quieter than usual or deserted this morning (PA)

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the industrial action on the railways is “taking us back to the bad old days of union strikes” as he vowed to “push on with these reforms anyway”.

He told Sky News: “I hear the unions say it’s about pay, it’s about job cuts, in fact there’s a pay offer on the table and the job cuts are by and large voluntary.

“So it’s unnecessary, it’s taking us back to the bad old days of union strikes and they’ve walked away now from the negotiations saying they’re going to strike and calling off any chance of a resolution.

“We’re going to have to push on with these reforms anyway.”