Train Strikes: Aslef union announces new January walkout date for drivers

Train drivers across 15 rail companies will stage a fresh strike on January 5 as part of a long running dispute over pay.

The walkout will go ahead in between strikes already announced by the RMT union which will take place on January 3, 4, 6 and 7, meaning most trains will be wiped out for five consecutive days.

ASLEF, the train drivers’ union said drivers had voted “overwhelmingly” for more walkouts.

The union says the action will bring services on affected lines to a halt.

General secretary Mick Whelan said: “We don’t want to go on strike but the companies have pushed us into this place.

“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 train companies say their hands have been tied by the government. While the government – which does not employ us – says it’s up to the companies to negotiate with us.

“We are always happy to negotiate – we never refuse to sit down at the table and talk – but these companies have offered us nothing. And that is unacceptable.”

The rail companies affected by the Aslef strike are:

• Avanti West Coast
• Chiltern Railways
• CrossCountry
• East Midlands Railway
• Great Western Railway
• Greater Anglia
• Great Northern/Thameslink
• London North Eastern Railway
• Northern Trains
• Southeastern
• Southern/Gatwick Express
• South Western Railway
• SWR Island Line
• TransPennine Express
• West Midlands Trains

Aslef recently reballoted its members for a further six-month mandate for strikes, and said the vote in favour of action had increased, to 93% in favour on an average turnout of 85% across the 15 firms.

A spokesperson for the Rail Delivery Group, said: “Further strikes – on top of those already announced by the RMT - will disrupt the new year travel plans of millions, taking even more money out of the pockets of railway staff.

“Industrial action has already cost the industry millions in lost revenue, and more strikes threaten the industry’s long-term sustainability.

“No one wants to see this strike go ahead, and we can only apologise to passengers and to the many businesses who will be hit by this damaging disruption.

“We want to work with Aslef to end this dispute that is harming passengers, the industry, and their members.”