No trains to run on Chiltern Railways line today as Aslef members walk out
Train drivers from the Aslef union are in an ongoing dispute over pay and conditions
Members of the Aslef union will be walking out in Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire today in a fresh series of strikes.
The industrial action will see a full day of walkouts today across some rail networks, including Chiltern Railways, which operates across Buckinghamshire, while others will walk out on Monday (April 8).
An overtime ban will further significantly reduce services across the three counties until Tuesday (April 9), with the exception of Sunday (April 7) where trains are expected to run as normal.
Media Relations Manager at Chiltern Railways, Matt Turner, said: "Disruption during periods such as this week and next is inevitable, so please do check ahead before you travel as we head into the weekend and next week."
"I think it's very likely that the industrial action will go ahead now."
While no trains will run today, causing disruption across the network, next week should see 24h of an overtime ban, significantly reducing services.
Mr Turner said: "While plans are slightly different each day and I appreciate that can be quite confusing, one constant is that the action will result in some changes to late night services each day."
"All train services will be finishing that little bit earlier than usual."
Across Chiltern Railways, a reduced timetable has been introduced in an effort to provide more certainty to customers on journeys planned.
"This form of industrial action affects different operators in different ways, some companies try to run a full timetable but end up having to cancel services on the day, so we take a slightly different approach", added Mr Turner.
On Saturday train drivers will walk out on Chiltern Railways, Heathrow Express, Great Western Railway, LNER, Northern and TransPennine Express.
A strike on Monday will affect c2c, Great Northern, Southeastern, South Western Railway (including the Island Line), Gatwick Express, Greater Anglia (including Stansted Express), Southern and Thameslink.
Aslef General Secretary, Mick Whelan, said: "Our members voted overwhelmingly - yet again - for strike action. Those votes show a clear rejection by train drivers of the ridiculous offer put to us in April last year by the Rail Delivery Group which knew that offer would be rejected because a land grab for all the terms and conditions we have negotiated over the years would never be accepted by our members."
"Since then train drivers have voted, time and again, to take action in pursuit of a pay rise. That's why Mark Harper, the Transport Secretary, is being disingenuous when he says that offer should have been put to members."
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: "Aslef is the only rail union continuing to strike, targeting passengers and preventing their own members from voting on the pay offer that remains on the table.
"Having resolved disputes with all other rail unions, the Transport Secretary and rail minister have ensured that a pay offer is on the table - taking train drivers' average salaries from £60,000 up to £65,000."