Rail passengers face fresh disruption amid train drivers’ overtime ban | UK News

Practice drivers are staging a week-long time beyond regulation ban in a dispute over pay, threatening extra disruption to rail providers.

Members of Aslef at 15 practice firms in England will refuse to work time beyond regulation from Monday to Saturday and once more from 7-12 August.

The providers affected embrace Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, Cross Nation, East Midlands Railway, Larger Anglia, Nice Western Railway, GTR Nice Northern Thameslink, Island Line, LNER, Northern Trains, Southeastern, Southern/Gatwick Specific, South Western Railway essential line, TransPennine Specific, and West Midlands Trains.

It follows strikes final week by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union which crippled providers.

Aslef basic secretary Mick Whelan mentioned: “We do not need to take this motion, as a result of we do not need individuals to be inconvenienced, however the practice firms, and the federal government which stands behind them, have compelled us into this place as a result of they refuse to take a seat down and discuss to us and haven’t made a good and smart pay provide to coach drivers who haven’t had one for 4 years – since 2019 – whereas costs have soared in that point by greater than 12%.”

Mr Whelan mentioned a proposal made in April was for a 4% pay improve, with an additional rise depending on drivers giving up phrases and situations.

“We’ve not heard a phrase from the employers since then – we’ve not had a gathering, or a cellphone name, a textual content message, nor an electronic mail – for the three months, and we have not sat down with the federal government since January 6.

“That exhibits how little the businesses and the federal government care about passengers and employees. They’re completely happy to let this go on and on.”

He added: “We’re decided to get a correct improve for women and men who have not had one for 4 years whereas inflation has been roaring away.

“Our members, completely fairly, need to have the ability to purchase now what they might purchase again in 2019.”

TransPennine Specific warned its clients to organize for disruption, together with delays and short-notice cancellations.

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Customer support and operations director Kathryn O’Brien mentioned: “We’re disillusioned that this motion may have such an impression on our clients’ journeys.

“We’re anticipating important disruption to our providers for the subsequent two weeks and I am asking all our clients to be ready for delays and cancellations throughout the community.

“We anticipate the disruption to be widespread and I’d advise clients to test very rigorously earlier than they journey and to permit further time for any journeys.”

A Division for Transport spokesman mentioned: “The federal government has met the rail unions, listened to them and facilitated improved provides on pay and reform. The union leaders ought to put these honest and affordable provides to their members so this dispute could be resolved.”