Rail services will be decimated in Newcastle and around the North East on Saturday due to a train driver strike.
The ASLEF union, which represents drivers, is staging industrial action on Saturday November 26. The move has led to Northern, TransPennine and CrossCountry cancelling all trains in the North East, while LNER will only operate four from Newcastle to London and five from Newcastle to Edinburgh.
ASLEF, which represents 21,000 members, says drivers have not had a pay rise since 2019, which amounts to a real terms pay cut due to inflation.
Read more: Rail strikes to hit Christmas and New Year travel in the North East
General secretary Mick Whelan said: “We regret that passengers will be inconvenienced for another day. We don’t want to be taking this action. Withdrawing our labour is always a last resort for a trade union.
“We have come to the table, as we always will, in good faith but while the industry continues to make no offer – due to the dodgy deal they signed with the Department for Transport – we have no choice but to take strike action again.
“They want drivers to take a real terms pay cut. With inflation now well into double figures, train drivers who kept Britain moving through the pandemic are now being expected to work just as hard this year as last year but for less. Most of these drivers have not had an increase in salary since 2019.
“We want the companies – which are making huge profits – to make a proper pay offer so that our members can keep up with the cost of living.”
The 12 train companies affected are Avanti West Coast; Chiltern Railways; CrossCountry; East Midlands Railway; Great Western Railway; Greater Anglia; London North Eastern Railway; London Overground; Northern Trains; Southeastern; TransPennine Express, and West Midlands Trains.
A Department for Transport spokesman said: “It’s disappointing Aslef has yet again chosen self-defeating strike action when our railway is in urgent need of reform.
“This past week saw positive developments between unions and employers and planned strikes cancelled, so this is a frustrating backwards step.
“More disruption is not only damaging to the public and Aslef’s own members’ livelihoods but threatens the future of the railway itself. It has never been more important for all sides to work together and address the fundamental issues in front of us.”
The dispute is separate to the RMT's, whose members - mainly train and station staff - are due to strike again in December and January.
How train driver strike affects rail services in Newcastle and around the North East
Local and intercity rail services to, from and via Newcastle, Sunderland, Durham, Darlington, Morpeth, Alnmouth, Berwick, and Hexham, Seaham, Hartlepool and stations in between will be affected by the strike on Saturday November 26.. Three operators who serve the region are not running any trains at all in the North East.
The Tyne-Wear Metro is not affected but the line is still closed between Pelaw and South Shields due to engineering works.
Northern
Local rail operator Northern - which serves stations including Morpeth, Newcastle, Hexham, Sunderland and Seaham, is running no trains at all on Saturday November 26.
LNER
East coast operator LNER has slashed its timetable due to the strike.
Only five trains southbound from Newcastle, only four of which go to London
The trains are 09.56, 11.56, 13.55, 15.56 (all to London), 1800 (terminates at Doncaster)
Only five trains northbound to Edinburgh from Newcastle. They 09.36, 11.39, 13.56, 14.58 and 16.57
There are also very limited trains from Darlington, Durham, Morpeth, Alnmouth and Berwick in both directions.
Lumo
Trains will run only between Edinburgh and Newcastle. No Lumo trains from Newcastle to London, but that is due to engineering works between Doncaster and Peterborough.
TransPennine Express
TPE will only operate an "extremely limited service" between York and Manchester; Manchester and Liverpool; and Sheffield and Cleethorpes. There will be no TPE trains north of York, so none in the North East.
CrossCountry
No CrossCountry trains will run on Saturday due to the strike. They are all cancelled.
Grand Central
The operator that runs trains from Sunderland to London plans to to run its usual timetable on Saturday.
Grand Central says: "We expect our services to be extremely busy over this weekend, please check your service before you travel. "
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