London train strikes 2023: Travel chaos as walkouts hit Gatwick express and commuter rail services

Commuters travelling into the capital this morning were hit with severe disruptions as the wave of December train strikes continues.

Members of ASLEF, the train drivers' union are staging a series of rolling strikes affecting different train companies on different days, until December 8, as well as an overtime ban lasting until December 9.

The union said the new walkouts will put pressure on train companies and the government to give train drivers their first pay rise in more than four years.

Wednesday’s walkouts have impacted London’s commuter train lines with train drivers from Southeastern, Southern, Gatwick Express, SWR and Island Line taking part in the strike action.

The Gatwick Express will not operate on any date till December 9 and no Southern or Southeastern services will run today (December 6).

A limited direct shuttle train service will be in operation between Gatwick Airport and London Victoria only.

Meanwhile Southwestern is running an extremely limited service on a small number of lines. Customers have been asked to travel only if necessary.

Commuters took to social media this morning to share their distress.

Luke Hebblethwaite took to X, saying: “Ah exciting day where the Thameslink trains are the only ones not on strike, but they're still cancelled anyway. Will I get to my 12pm meeting?”

While Sophia Grace wrote: “My son’s school run took me one hour fifty minutes and I have to do it all again later. Massive tail back at Riverhill, Sevenoaks. What a colossal waste of time.”

The strikes are set to continue on Thursday December 7 affecting CrossCountry, Great Western Railway and the Heathrow Express and will finish on Friday December 8 with drivers from Northern and Transpennine Express train lines walking out.

Customers can use the National Rail's journey planner to see when trains are running on strike days.

What is ASLEF saying?

"We are determined to win this dispute," said Mick Whelan, ASLEF’s general secretary. ‘And get a significant pay rise for train drivers who have not had an increase since 2019 while the cost of living, in that time, has soared.

He criticised transport secretary Mark Harper as having "gone missing in action during this dispute", adding: "We are determined to win this dispute.

"What the minister apparently fails to understand is that, since the Rail Delivery Group's (RDG) risible offer in April, we have received overwhelming mandates, on enormous turnouts, for more industrial action.

"Our members have spoken and we know what they think. Every time they vote - and they have voted overwhelmingly - for strike action in pursuit of a proper pay rise it is a clear rejection of the offer that was made in April.

"The RDG's offer, a land grab for all our terms and conditions, was made in the full knowledge that it couldn't, and wouldn't, be accepted."

ASLEF said it has successfully struck pay deals with 14 companies in the last 12 months, including freight firms, open-access operators, Eurostar, and passenger companies in Scotland and Wales, where transport issues are devolved. The union says it has been unable to do a deal with the 16 train operating companies in England controlled by the government.

“This is a dispute in England made at Westminster by the Tory government,” Mr Whelan said. “We will continue to take industrial action until the train companies, and/or the government, sits down and negotiates with us in good faith.”

Rail Delivery Group

A spokesperson for the RDG said: “This wholly unnecessary strike action called by the ASLEF leadership will sadly disrupt customers and businesses ahead of the vital festive period, while further damaging the railway at a time when it is still getting an extra £175m a month in taxpayer cash.

“The fair and affordable offer made by industry, which would take average driver base salaries for a four-day week from £60,000 to nearly £65,000, remains on the table. We urge the ASLEF leadership to put it to its members, give Christmas back to our passengers, and end this damaging industrial dispute."

What is the government saying?

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “It is disappointing that ALEF are targeting the public and hospitality businesses at the beginning of the festive period, when there is a fair and reasonable pay offer for train drivers on the table that would take their salary up to an average of £65,000 for a 35-hour, four-day week.

“Taxpayers contributed £1000 per household to protect train drivers’ jobs during the pandemic. Instead of going on strike, ALEF should be following in the footsteps of the other rail unions and giving their members a vote on this fair pay deal.”

What about the RMT?

Rail workers in the RMT union have voted to accept an offer from 14 train companies.

That lifts the threat of RMT strikes until at least the spring.

However, there could be more strike action later next year as the agreement does not cover future pay deals and the government and rail operating companies still want to push through changes to the way the industry works.