Britain’s rail network will be crippled by strikes once again later this month after train drivers announced they would stage a series of fresh strikes and an overtime ban.
The union Aslef revealed the wave of industrial action would impact 17 different rail operators across nine days between Monday, January 29 and Tuesday, February 6.
Aslef wants to put pressure on ‘intransigent’ rail companies as well as the ‘tone-deaf Tory government’ to give train drivers their first pay rise in almost five years.
Their strikes will cripple train services across England, with rail firms including LNER, Avanti West Coast, Great Western and CrossCountry all set to be affected.
Others operators set to be hit include those on London commuter routes such as South Western Railway, Southeastern, Southern, Great Northern and Thameslink.
View the full list of the dates and lines affected in January and February below:
East Midlands Railway Luton Airport Express trains sit in a sidings near Kettering train station in Northamptonshire, during a 24 hour strike by members of the union Aslef in December 2023
Members of Aslef on the picket line outside Reading station in Berkshire in September 2023 (Photo: Shutterstock)
Tuesday 30 January
- Southeastern
- Southern/Gatwick Express
- GTR Thameslink
- South Western Railway
- SWR Island Line
Wednesday 31 January
- Northern Trains
- TransPennine Express
Friday 2 February
Saturday 3 February
- Avanti West Coast
- East Midlands Railway
- West Midlands Trains
Monday 5 February
- Chiltern
- CossCountry
- Great Western Railway
‘No trains’ signs at the closed Kettering station during an Aslef strike on December 2, 2023
Commuters arrive at London Bridge train station in London, on August 13, 2022, as fresh railway strikes hit the country (Photo: Getty)
How can I remain up to date with information on strikes?
National Rail have urged individuals hoping to travel on while strikes and overtime ban days take place to use its Journey Planner to monitor how services will be affected.
What have Aslef, UKHospitality and the government said about the fresh walkout?
Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan said today: ‘We have given the Government every opportunity to come to the table but it has now been a year since we had any contact from the Department for Transport. It’s clear they do not want to resolve this dispute.
‘Many of our members have not had a single penny increase to their pay for half a decade, during which time inflation has soared and, with it, the cost of living.
‘Train drivers didn’t even ask for an increase during the Covid-19 pandemic when we worked throughout lockdown as key workers, risking our lives, to move goods around the country and to enable NHS and other workers to get to work.’
Whelan added: ‘The Tory government has now tried its old trick of changing the rules. When they couldn’t win they brought in minimum service levels legislation.
‘But this new law, as we told officials during the consultation period, won’t ease industrial strife. It will just make it worse.’
Number 10 has criticised the strike plans, while the Rail Delivery Group said its offer would take drivers’ salaries to nearly £65,000 for a four-day week without overtime.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: ‘This is extremely disappointing. Not least to commuters, who have already been so badly hit by Aslef’s decision to continually strike.
‘Aslef drivers continue to be paid far above what the average person in the UK receives.
‘Rail companies have made a fair and reasonable offer, and we would encourage them to step back from this action.’
Meanwhile UKHospitality said the new action had ‘dismayed’ businesses and will cost the industry almost £350million, on top of the £4billion in lost sales from rail strikes.
Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality, said today: ‘January and February are already two of the quieter months of the year for venues and this disruption will make it even more painful.’
She added: ‘We estimate this set of strikes will cost hospitality almost £350million, on top of the £4billion in lost sales the sector has already had to withstand.
‘We continue to urge all parties involved to urgently reach an agreement and resolve this dispute. Ongoing strike action hurts businesses, prevents people from getting to work and significantly erodes confidence in the rail network.’
Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan said today: ‘It has now been a year since we had any contact from the Department for Transport. It’s clear they do not want to resolve this dispute’ (Photo: PA, from June 2023)
Sign at London Waterloo station in September 2023 warning of train strikes and overtime bans (Photo: Shutterstock)
