Nine days of disruption on the national rail network and the London Underground have started.
Today (Friday 29 September) train drivers belonging to Aslef began an overtime ban at 14 English train operators who are contracted to run services by the Department for Transport (DfT).
It marks the start of the latest tranche of industrial action in a long bitter dispute over pay and working arrangements. The union says the ban on rest-day working “will seriously disrupt the network as the privatised train companies have always failed to employ enough drivers to provide a proper service”.
On Saturday 30 September and again on Wednesday 4 October, Aslef members will walk out at the same train operators, which include all the leading intercity and commuter firms. The union claims: “The strike will force the train operating companies to cancel all services.” Some will axe all trains, while others will run a skeleton service during limited hours.
Transport for Wales, ScotRail and “open-access” operators such as Lumo and Grand Central are unaffected – though many services are likely to be busier than usual.
The impact of the train drivers’ walk-out will continue into Sunday 1 October, with Southern warning: “The disruption from a strike day will have a knock-on effect which means that first services will begin much later than normal, with some routes having no services before 7am.”
The Aslef overtime ban continues on 2 Monday, 3 Tuesday, 5 Thursday and Friday 6 October. In the middle, on Wednesday 4 October: a second strike by train drivers in the current bout of industrial action.
The same day will see severe disruption across the national rail network as well as a near-total shutdown of the London Underground. RMT members employed on the Tube are walking out in a dispute over jobs and safety. They will also strike on Friday 6 October, with the Night Tube and Saturday morning services impacted. The London Overground and the Elizabeth Line are unaffected but are expected to be much busier than usual.
Aslef’s general secretary, Mick Whelan, said of the latest trains drivers’ strike: “While we regret having to take this action – we don’t want to lose a day’s pay, or disrupt passengers, as they try to travel by train – the government, and the employers, have forced us into this position.
“Our members have not, now, had…
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