Londoners continued to face widespread travel disruption on Tuesday (April 9) as a result of the previous day’s train strikes.
Aslef union members across eight operating companies took part in a 24-hour strike on Monday.
The strikes came two and a half months after London Mayor Sadiq Khan spent £30 million of public funds to prevent the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) from staging a week-long walkout.
A Tube strike that would have affected London on Monday was called off following talks between Aslef and the Tube drivers’ union.
However, rail strikes still went ahead across many major travel lines.
Here’s what you need to know.
When were the latest strikes
From April 5 to 8, train drivers from 16 companies staged “rolling one-day strikes”.
Members also took part in an overtime ban from April 4 to 6, and April 8 to 9.
Which lines were affected?
Friday, April 5
- Avanti West Coast
- East Midlands Railway
- West Midlands Trains
- CrossCountry
Saturday, April 6
- Chiltern
- GWR
- LNER
- Northern
- TransPennine Trains
Monday, April 8
- c2c
- Greater Anglia
- GTR Great Northern Thameslink
- Southeastern
- Southern/Gatwick Express
- South Western Railway main line and depot drivers
- SWR Island Line
London business advocacy group BusinessLDN said it was “hugely frustrating for Londoners, visitors and businesses” that the capital would grind to a halt again due to industrial action.
Commuters were advised to plan and allow extra time for travel.
Passengers may receive a refund for their Advance, Anytime, or Off-Peak tickets if the train they have a ticket for was cancelled, delayed, or rescheduled.
Why is Aslef striking?
Aslef wants to resolve a long-running dispute over drivers’ working conditions and pay.
Aslef’s general secretary, Mick Whelan, added: “Our members voted overwhelmingly — yet again — for strike action. Those votes show — yet again — a clear rejection by train drivers of the ridiculous offer put to us in April last year by [train operators’ body] 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.
“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.”
A spokesperson for the Rail Delivery Group, representing train companies in the ongoing talks over pay and conditions, said: "Nobody wins when industrial action impacts people's lives and livelihoods, and we will work hard to minimise any disruption to our passengers.
"We want to resolve this dispute, but the Aslef leadership need to recognise that hard-pressed taxpayers are continuing to contribute an extra £54 million a week just to keep services running post-Covid.
"We continue to seek an agreement with the Aslef leadership and remain open to talks to find a solution to this dispute."
A Department for Transport spokesperson told the Guardian: “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.”
Will there be more train strikes?
The latest round of industrial action ended on Monday April 8, and there are no more planned rail strike dates.
The strike action planned by London Underground train drivers scheduled for Monday 8 April and Saturday 4 May has now been called off.
Commuters are always advised to plan ahead of their journey and check for any disruptions.
