Train strikes 2022: No service on almost all London Overground line on Saturday August 13 - TfL

There is no service on almost the entire London Overground today - Saturday August 13 - Transport for London has said.

Members of the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen Union (Aslef) - which represents the UK’s train drivers, are staging a 24-hour walk out today, in a dispute over pay.

The strike will impact nine train operators, including the London Overground, which is operated by Arriva London.

The only London Overground routes running are between Barking and Barking Riverside and Romford and Upminster every 30 minutes.

TfL says there will also be no Night Overground services on Saturday evening and has advised customers to use alternative routes to complete their journeys.

London Overground services are expected to return to a good service by midday on Sunday.

There are also planned weekend closures on the entire Hammersmith & City line and no service between Tower Hill and Upminster on the District line.

Andy Lord, TfL’s chief operating officer, said: “Planned strike action on the London Overground this weekend will mean disruption for our customers.

“With no service expected on the entire London Overground network and reduced services on a number of other national rail routes, I advise all customers to check before they travel and use alternative routes to complete their journeys.”

“Strikes are always the last resort,” said Mick Whelan, general secretary of ASLEF.

“We don’t want to inconvenience passengers – our friends and families use public transport, too – and we don’t want to lose money by going on strike but we’ve been forced into this position by the companies, who say they have been driven to this by the Tory government.

‘Many of our members – who were the men and women who moved key workers and goods around the country during the pandemic – have not had a pay rise since 2019.

‘With inflation running at north of 10% that means those drivers have had a real term pay cut over the last three years.

“We want an increase in line with the cost of living – we want to be able to buy, in 2022, what we could buy in 2021.

‘It’s not unreasonable to ask your employer to make sure you’re not worse off for three years in a row.

“Especially as the train companies are doing very nicely, thank you, out of Britain’s railways – with handsome profits, dividends for shareholders, and big salaries for managers – and train drivers don’t want to work longer for less.”

Further strikes by the RMT are also planned for Friday August 19 on London Underground and London Overground services.

In addition, national rail strikes on Thursday 18 and Saturday August 20 will affect the rail network, including London Overground, London Underground and Elizabeth line services.

Strike action by Unite will also affect some bus services on Friday 19 and Saturday August 20.