Train strike dates as rail users issued with warning

Rail passengers are being warned about disruptions next week due to strikes by train drivers amidst an ongoing pay dispute.

Certain regions will experience a complete halt in services on strike days, while operational services will commence later and conclude earlier than usual.

The Aslef union has been engaged in this dispute for nearly two years, with no discussions taking place for over a year. Passengers are advised to verify their travel plans between Bank Holiday Monday, May 6, and Saturday May 11.

Drivers from 16 train companies will stage a 24-hour strike on three consecutive dates between Tuesday and Thursday, accompanied by an overtime ban across all train companies from Monday to Saturday.

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Rail companies have assured they will run as many trains as possible, but regional variations will occur. In some areas, there may be no trains at all on strike days, and the services that do operate will typically run between 7.30am and 6.30pm.

A spokesperson for the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) stated: "The rail industry is working hard to keep trains running but it is likely that services on some lines will be affected on the evening before and morning after each strike between May 7 and May 9 because many trains will not be in the right depots to start services the following day.

"Customers should also be aware of Network Rail's engineering works which will take place this coming early May Bank Holiday. Those customers planning to travel around Cambridge, Liverpool and between Birmingham Airport and Rugby/Leamington Spa should check their journeys before setting off."

"We can only apologise to our customers for this wholly unnecessary strike action called by the Aslef leadership which will sadly disrupt journeys once again. It will also inflict further damage on an industry that is receiving up to an additional £54 million a week in taxpayer cash to keep services running, following the Covid downturn."

• Train drivers will strike on the following days:Tuesday May 7: c2c, Greater Anglia, GTR's Great Northern, Thameslink and Southern (including Gatwick Express), Southeastern, and South Western Railway.

• Wednesday May 8: Avanti West Coast, London Northwestern Railway, Chiltern, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, GWR, and West Midlands Trains.

• Thursday May 9: LNER, Northern, and TransPennine Express.

Merseyrail is unaffected by strike action and there will be no disruption to services. Aslef says its members have not had a pay rise for five years. The union has accused the Government of "giving up" trying to resolve the dispute.

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