Train drivers' strike will see no services in the West Midlands
Rail staff are striking with the ASLEF union this weekend.
Last updated 15th Apr 2024
Parts of the country including the West Midlands will have no train services on Friday because of a fresh strike by drivers in a long-running pay dispute.
Members of Aslef at Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, and West Midlands Railway will walk out, mounting picket lines outside stations.
All train operators said they will not run any services, with passengers urged not to attempt to travel.
A ban on overtime at 16 companies is also continuing until Saturday, which will cause disruption to services.
Train operators warned that on strike days it is likely that few or no services will run across large areas of the network operated by the affected train companies.
Services are also likely to be disrupted and start later on the day immediately following a full strike day.
On days where an overtime ban is in place, the timetable for some train companies may be revised in advance or services may be subject to short-notice delay or cancellation on the day.
A law is now in place aimed at ensuring a minimum level of service during rail strikes but none of the operators involved in the Aslef dispute has applied to use it.
Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan said the union had called for talks after announcing renewed mandates for industrial action, highlighting that train drivers have not had an increase in salary since 2019.
He 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.
"Drivers wouldn't vote for industrial action, again and again and again, if they thought that was a good offer. That offer was dead in the water in April last year and Mr Harper knows that.
"We asked Mr Harper, or his deputy, the rail minister Huw Merriman, to come and meet us. We asked the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) and the train operators (TOCs) to come and talk to us.
"We haven't heard from Mr Harper, Mr Merriman, the RDG, or the TOCs since those new mandates were announced weeks ago. In fact, Mr Harper hasn't deigned to talk to us since December 2022, Mr Merriman hasn't talked to us since January 2023 and the RDG has not seen fit to join us in the room since April last year.
"We have given the Government every opportunity to come to the table but it is now clear they do not want to resolve this dispute. They are happy for it go on and on.
"We are not going to give up. Many members have now not had a single penny increase in pay for half a decade, during which time inflation has soared and, with it, the cost of living."
He told the PA news agency that the dispute has now cost more than £2 billion, a fraction of which could have resolved the dispute.
He said Aslef members remain solidly behind the campaign, and in many cases want to go "harder and faster" because of the lack of progress.
A spokesman or the RDG said: "We are sorry that this round of strikes called by the Aslef leadership risks disrupting journeys.
"While we are doing all we can to keep trains running and we will work with our industry partners to keep as many trains running as possible, unfortunately there will be reduced services between Thursday April 4 to Tuesday April 9.
"Our advice is to check before you travel and follow the latest travel information.
"Minimum Service Level legislation is one of many useful tools for managing strike disruption, but it is not a silver bullet.
"Operators' guiding principle is always to make sure they can offer the best, most reliable services possible for their passengers on and around industrial action days, and to do that they need to make careful assessments of their own particular operational circumstances before deciding the best way forward."
A Department for Transport spokesman 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."