More travel disruption is expected to hit the UK as further train strikes have been announced for September.
12 companies are set to be impacted as train drivers have voted to strike on September 15, Aslef union has confirmed. This comes after it was announced that on September 26, The Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) members at nine train companies, as well as Network Rail staff will take part in a 24-hour strike starting at midday.
This is the latest wave of industrial action to be planned after a summer of travel chaos following a number of strike days that halted trains across the country. While ScotRail are not associated with this strike, staff from companies such as LNER and TransPennine Express will be taking part, affecting trains running between Scotland and England.
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It comes after months of discussion between unions and rail companies following a dispute over pay, working conditions and job security. The last train driver strike took place on July 30 and August 30 which saw delays and cancellations up and down the UK.
While companies have yet to reveal their revised timetables, during previous strike action days, LNER only ran a limited amount of trains between Edinburgh and London King Cross with no services running further north of the city.
Speaking about the strike planned on September 15, Mick Whelan, general secretary of Aslef, said: "We regret that, once again, passengers are going to be inconvenienced, because we don't want to go on strike - withdrawing our labour, although a fundamental human right, is always a last resort for a trade union - but the train companies have forced our hand.
"They want train drivers to take a real-terms pay cut - to work just as hard this year as last, but for 10 per cent less.
"Because inflation is now in double figures and heading higher - much higher, according to some forecasts - and yet the train companies have offered us nothing.
"And this for train drivers who kept Britain moving - key workers and goods around the country - throughout the pandemic and who have not had an increase in salary since 2019."
Train companies affected by September 15 strikes
The following services are likely to be affected by the Aslef strike.
- Avanti West Coast
- Chiltern Railways
- CrossCountry
- Greater Anglia
- Great Western Railway
- Hull Trains
- LNER
- London Overground
- Northern Trains
- Southeastern
- TransPennine Express
- West Midlands Trains
Train companies affected by September 26 strikes
The following services are likely to be affected by the TSSA strike.
- TransPennine Express
- West Midlands Trains
- Avanti West Coast
- c2c
- CrossCountry
- East Midlands Railway
- Great Western Railway
- LNER
- Southeastern
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “For the ninth time this summer, union leaders are choosing self-defeating strike action over constructive talks, not only disrupting the lives of millions who rely on these services but jeopardising the future of the railways and their own members’ livelihoods.
“These reforms deliver the modernisations our rail network urgently needs, are essential to the future of rail, and will happen; strikes will not change this.”
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