LONDON, July 19: Strikes by train drivers and passport officials threaten major disruptions to the London Olympics, prompting the government to warn unions on Thursday that they risked public anger if the industrial action went ahead.

The Aslef rail union announced on Thursday that 450 of its members in central England would walk out between Aug. 6 and 8 in a dispute over pensions, affecting passengers travelling from cities such as Sheffield, Nottingham and Derby to the capital.

The decision coincided with a move by border officials to strike on July 26, the day before the start of the Games, potentially delaying thousands of visitors arriving for the showpiece event.

Members of the Public and Commercial Services Union have voted for the 24-hour strike on July 26 in a dispute over pay and job losses — an Olympic-sized headache for British officials with Home Secretary Theresa May saying the decision to stage a strike on the eve of the Games was “shameful.”

Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt, meanwhile, rejected accusations that the build-up to the Games have been in shambles.

“Actually I think it has been a very smooth process,” he told reporters, after a barrage of questions on issues ranging from security shortfalls to sanitation on the main Olympic site.

“I think it has been an encouraging first week. I think it is very important that people understand that of course you are going to have a few hitches on a project of this scale, but actually things have gone pretty smoothly.”

On the issue of the danger of strike action causing disruptions, he added: “It would be completely out of tune with the mood of the British public. This is a moment when Britain wants to show its best face to the world and I would strongly counsel any unions thinking of disrupting this very important period.”

Hunt added that Britain has put another 1,200 troops on standby for the Olympics.

“As we have said, we must prepare for every contingency,” he said. “We are therefore putting an additional 1,200 troops on standby, reducing their notice to move from seven days to 48 hours.”

Olympic security is in crisis after private contractor G4S failed to deliver on its promise to provide enough guards for the Games.

Government officials have been forced to call in police and soldiers to make up for the shortfall.

Meanwhile, Craig Reedie, one of the architects of London 2012's successful bid for the Olympics, said that the threat in the British capital was more significant than at most previous Games.

“There are very few people who can remember the last time a Games was held in a city where there is a (terror threat alert),” the former chairman of the British Olympic Association said.

“So the threat here in London is more notable than in previous Games. And the country is taking it seriously.”

With the Games eight days away, British media has focused heavily on the opening ceremony amid reports of tensions between Oscar-winning film director Danny Boyle, who is overseeing the 27 million pound ($42 million) show, and the Olympic Broadcasting Services in charge of airing the Games.

According to the Guardian, the atmosphere between the two was “miserable” and rehearsals were behind.

The July 27 evening ceremony, to be watched by a global audience estimated at more than a billion people and Boyle has been forced to trim parts of the ceremony and is negotiating with Olympic Broadcasting Services about camera position in the Olympic Stadium.

London organising committee spokeswoman Jackie Brock-Doyle said: “There are creative tensions — the discussion is where cameras are going.”

Seats have been removed to accommodate Boyle's additional cameras, although tickets for them hadn't been sold.—Agencies