Thousands of London Marathon runners are expected to have their journeys disrupted by train strikes next weekend.
Aslefannounced on Tuesday that train drivers at 12 companies across the country will walk off the job on October 1 and 5 over a pay dispute.
They will be joined by RMT union members, including conductors, train cleaners and station staff and Network Rail’s signallers and maintenance teams, in their national rail strike on October 1.
People travelling to the London Marathon on Sunday October 2 will be affected, as the 24-hour strikes have a knock-on effect the following day, with first trains affected and no services before 7/7.30am, Greater Anglia has warned.
Last year around 40,000 people ran the event in person and 40,000 virtually.
A Rail Delivery Group spokesperson said “thousands of London marathon participants, who after months of training, will have their journeys to London disrupted at the weekend”.
Football fans are also expected to be disrupted.
East Anglia’s top teams – Norwich, Ipswich Town, Cambridge United, Peterborough United and Colchester United - have fixtures on Saturday October 1, as do Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham and Arsenal.
Fans are “strongly advised to make alternative arrangements” by Greater Anglia, which is running a “heavily reduced” service.
Jamie Burles, Greater Anglia managing director said: “We are very sorry that once again our customers will be disrupted by strikes, which this time will affect football fans and some people from our region competing in the London Marathon, as well as school or college students, commuters and business travellers.
“We’re only able to run a fraction of our usual services, so our advice again is to avoid using our trains on strike days.
“The rail industry is working hard to resolve these disputes and talks will continue with ASLEF and RMT in an effort to avert the strike.”
On Saturday 1 October, services will only operate from 7.30am and 6.30pm.
Aslef said the union is in dispute with train companies which have failed to offer their drivers a pay increase since 2019.
General secretary Mick Whelan said: “We would much rather not be in this position. We don’t want to go on strike – withdrawing your labour, although a fundamental human right, is always a last resort for this trade union – but the train companies have been determined to force our hand.”
He said drivers are striking so companies will “come and negotiate properly with us”.
But Rail Delivery Group said it “simply cannot deliver pay increases” with reforms it is proposing.
“Revenue is still around 80 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, no business can survive that scale of upheaval without implementing change.
“The actions of union leaders have very real consequences: every strike day takes more money out of their members’ pockets. We are asking the unions’ leadership to do the right thing, call off these damaging strikes and work with us to make that happen.”
Aslef initially called a strike for September 15, but it was postponed as a mark of respect following the Queen’s death.
Train companies were given 14 days’ notice on Friday September 16 of the new strikes planned for October.
“We have successfully negotiated pay deals with nine train companies this year – and are only in dispute with those companies which have failed to offer their drivers – our members – anything,” said Mr Whelan.
ASLEF members at 12 companies – Avanti West Coast; Chiltern Railways; CrossCountry; Greater Anglia; Great Western Railway; Hull Trains; LNER; London Overground; Northern Trains; Southeastern; TransPennine Express; and West Midlands Trains – will strike on 1 and 5 October.
London Marathon has been approached for comment.
