A fresh rail strike has been announced by train drivers at 15 companies several days after New Year.
The walkout will take place on 5 January in a long-running dispute over pay, union ASLEF said.
It comes as another union stages walkouts over the Christmas period and into the New Year.
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union at Network Rail and 14 train operators are planning to strike on 3, 4, 6 and 7 January, paving the way for services to be crippled for a week.
“We don’t want to go on strike but the companies have pushed us into this place,” ASLEF general secretary, Mick Whelan,said.
“They have not offered our members at these companies a penny – and these are people who have not had an increase since April 2019.”
The union represents 96 per cent of the train drivers in England, Scotland, and Wales.
Workers at 15 companies – including Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway and Great Western Railway – voted to strike in the new action after New Year.
Northern Trains, Southeastern, TransPennine Express and West Midlands Trains are also affected.
The last strike by ASLEF was in late November.
Mr Whelan said workers were being asked to take a real-term pay cut as inflation continues to soar.
“The companies need to come to the table with a proper proposal to help our members, their drivers, buy this year what they could buy last year. That is the way to prevent another strike and all the disruption that causes,” he said.
“The ball is now firmly in the train companies’ court. And we are calling on the government to help – and not hinder – the negotiating process.”
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