The strike is over cuts and members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union walked out for 24 hours from 3am today.

The union claims the cuts which aim to save £6m over five years would threaten 200 jobs .

However, Heathrow Express says it will continue running trains between Heathrow and central London althugh services between Paddington and the airport will be halted.

Managing director of Heathrow Express, Keith Greenfield, said: "Strikes are self-defeating because they add to the £6m we need to save over the next five years in order to secure our future and jobs for our people."

Responding, Mick Cash, acting general secretary of the RMT, said: "If the senior management spent as much time addressing the serious safety concerns over the halving of staff numbers that is at the heart of this dispute as they do in dressing up for cheap publicity stunts we might be able to make some real progress."

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