Train drivers announce February strike dates

Train drivers are to stage a fresh round of strikes after a union rejected a pay offer.

Members of the RMT and Aslef unions across 15 train operating companies will walk out on 1 and 3 February.

The Rail Delivery Group (RDG), which represents train companies, had offered Aslef drivers a backdated pay rise of 4% for 2022 and a 4% increase this year.

But Aslef said it amounted to a "real-terms pay cut" at a time inflation was running higher than 10% and came with "so many conditions attached that it was clearly unacceptable".

Mick Whelan, general secretary of Aslef, said: "The proposal is not and could not ever be acceptable, but we are willing to engage in further discussions within the process that we previously agreed."

Hospitality businesses in London told The Caterer they had seen hundreds of bookings cancelled and lost thousands of pounds of business a day during strikes by rail and other transport unions last year.

The RDG said it had made a "fair and affordable" offer which included "common-sense reforms".

The Department for Transport said Aslef's decision was "incredibly disappointing" and passengers had "borne the brunt of these damaging strikes for too long".

"The Government has played its part and facilitated conversations," a spokesperson said.

"We urge Aslef to play their part, call off strikes and consider this fair and reasonable offer to members, which would see train drivers receive a pay rise in line with the private sector without fuelling inflation, so we can bring this dispute to an end."

The companies affected include Avanti West Coast; Chiltern Railways; CrossCountry; East Midlands Railway; Great Western Railway; Greater Anglia; GTR Great Northern Thameslink; London North Eastern Railway; Northern Trains; Southeastern; Southern/Gatwick Express; South Western Railway (depot drivers only); SWR Island Line; TransPennine Express; and West Midlands Trains.

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