Train passengers across the UK are bracing for widespread disruption as train drivers from the main union, Aslef, are set to go for strikes and an overtime ban, starting this week. The industrial action follows a protracted 20-month dispute over job security, with negotiations showing no signs of progress and no scheduled talks in sight.
The overtime ban, scheduled from Thursday through Saturday, followed by a 48-hour period starting next Monday, is expected to severely impact travel plans, causing delays and cancellations to services across multiple train operators.
Friday’s strike will particularly affect Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, West Midlands, and London Northwestern, with no services running on CrossCountry routes. The disruption continues on Saturday, with Chiltern Railways, Great Western Railway, LNER, Heathrow Express, Northern, and TransPennine Express services all being impacted.
Richard Morris, CrossCountry’s service delivery director, expressed regret ahead of the strikes, acknowledging the significant disruption passengers are likely to face, especially on Saturday, 6th April. He urged travelers to check their journey plans in advance, both ahead of time and on the day of travel.
On Monday, a wider array of operators will be affected, including c2c, Gatwick Express, Greater Anglia (including Stansted Express), Great Northern, Southeastern, Southern, South Western Railway (including the Island Line), and Thameslink.
Despite the looming chaos, none of the operators involved in the Aslef dispute have applied to utilize the newly implemented law aimed at maintaining a minimum service level during rail strikes.
Aslef union members cite a lack of pay rise for drivers in five years, dating back to April 2019, and accuse rail companies of stubbornness in negotiations. Despite the challenges, some operators are aiming to run reduced services during the strikes, encouraging passengers to monitor their respective rail operator’s website or the National Rail website for the latest travel information.
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