- By Katy Austin
- Transport correspondent
Rail passengers are being warned of disruption for the following six days, due to an overtime ban by train drivers within the Aslef union.
Sixteen train companies primarily based in England might be hit from Monday till Saturday. Many will cut back their service ranges.
It is the most recent transfer in Aslef’s long-running pay dispute. Strikes by different rail employees within the RMT union are set to happen later this month.
Passengers are being suggested to verify earlier than they journey.
Most train corporations depend on drivers working overtime to run their full schedules.
Among the disruption anticipated:
- South Western Railway says it can run a lowered timetable with some first and final trains cancelled. Its companies are probably to be busier than normal, and prospects heading to the Wimbledon tennis championships are being suggested to permit additional time for his or her journeys
- Northern is advising passengers to count on some companies to begin later and end sooner than normal, in addition to short-notice cancellations
- Great Western Railway expects some short-notice alterations or cancellations, and says its Night Riviera Sleeper service is not going to run in both route till Sunday
- Chiltern Railways is warning prospects solely to journey if completely important on Saturday. Its trains is not going to cease on the station by Wembley Stadium, which is internet hosting a live performance by Blur.
Last month, Aslef members at 10 operators backed additional strike motion, that means it may final for one more six months if there isn’t any settlement.
The union has already rejected proposals that might have seen pay rise by 4% two years in a row, bringing drivers’ common pay to £65,000.
This would have been contingent on adjustments to working practices, which the employers and authorities – who dictate what’s below dialogue in talks – say are wanted to reduce prices and modernise how the railway runs.
Aslef argues members shouldn’t have to sacrifice working situations in return for a under inflation wage enhance.
Ticket workplace closures
Aslef doesn’t have any additional strikes deliberate at current.
It has now lasted over a yr. With no decision in sight, the train corporations are getting ready to transfer forward with plans to shut tons of of ticket workplaces.
The Rail Delivery Group mentioned solely 12% of tickets had been now bought at station kiosks. Its spokesperson mentioned below proposed adjustments employees can be moved on to concourses to assist and advise extra prospects. They added that workers and the general public can be consulted about any adjustments.
But RMT common secretary Mick Lynch mentioned earlier this week his union wouldn’t “meekly sit by and allow thousands of jobs to be sacrificed or see disabled and vulnerable passengers left unable to use the railways as a result”.
The union steered it may take additional industrial motion over the difficulty.
