Train tube strikes today: Nine days of travel misery as fresh rail and London Underground strikes begin

Nine days of disruption on the nationwide rail community and the London Underground have began.

Today (Friday 29 September) prepare drivers belonging to Aslef started an time beyond regulation ban at 14 English prepare operators who’re contracted to run providers by the Department for Transport (DfT).

It marks the beginning of the newest tranche of industrial motion in an extended bitter dispute over pay and working preparations. 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 once more on Wednesday 4 October, Aslef members will stroll out on the similar prepare operators, which embrace all of the main intercity and commuter companies. The union claims: “The strike will force the train operating companies to cancel all services.” Some will axe all trains, whereas others will run a skeleton service throughout restricted hours.

Transport for Wales, ScotRail and “open-access” operators such as Lumo and Grand Central are unaffected – although many providers are more likely to be busier than typical.

The influence of the prepare drivers’ walk-out will proceed 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 time beyond regulation ban continues on 2 Monday, 3 Tuesday, 5 Thursday and Friday 6 October. In the center, on Wednesday 4 October: a second strike by prepare drivers within the present bout of industrial motion.

The similar day will see extreme disruption throughout the nationwide rail community as properly as a near-total shutdown of the London Underground. RMT members employed on the Tube are strolling out in a dispute over jobs and security. They may also strike on Friday 6 October, with the Night Tube and Saturday morning providers impacted. The London Overground and the Elizabeth Line are unaffected however are anticipated to be a lot busier than typical.

Aslef’s common secretary, Mick Whelan, stated of the newest trains drivers’ strike: “While we remorse having to take this motion – we don’t need to lose a day’s pay, or disrupt passengers, as they attempt to travel by prepare – the federal government, and the employers, have compelled us into this place.

“Our members haven’t, now, had a pay rise for 4 years – since 2019 – and that’s not proper when costs have soared in that point. Train drivers, completely moderately, need to have the ability to purchase now what they may purchase 4 years in the past.”

The Rail Delivery Group (RDG), representing prepare operators, says its present supply would take common driver salaries from £60,000 to £65,000 for a four-day week.

An RDG spokesperson stated: “We need to resolve this dispute and are acutely conscious of the damaging influence it is having on our passengers, our individuals and the long-term sustainability of the business itself. We apologise to our prospects for the pointless disruption to their journeys attributable to the Aslef management.

“At a time when the business is shedding £10m a day post-Covid, the union’s management should recognise the necessity to make adjustments to how the sector is run, to each fund any pay rise and, crucially, so we can provide our passengers extra dependable prepare providers, notably on Sundays.”

On the London Underground strike, the RMT common secretary Mick Lynch stated: “Station workers have had sufficient of having their livelihoods threatened by job losses and assaults on their phrases and circumstances.

”These job cuts and assaults on circumstances are going to result in extra unstaffed stations, momentary closures and rising passenger anger.

“This strike action will lead to the Tube being shutdown and we call on Mayor Sadiq Khan to meet us urgently to discuss this matter.”

Glynn Barton, chief working officer for Transport for London, stated: “We are upset that the RMT has introduced strike motion regardless of our open dialogue on these points.

“Nobody needs to see strikes that can trigger vital disruption to our prospects and we urge them to rethink and proceed participating with us.”

Rail and Tube: Timetable of industrial motion