No trains are running from Brighton and Hove today as a train drivers’ strike brings the vast majority of the Southern rail network to a standstill.
Members of Aslef at operators including those running services into London such as Southern, Southeastern and South Western Railway will walk out for the day.
Passengers are being urged to check before attempting to travel by train this week.
The dispute is now the longest ever in the rail industry.
There is a glimmer of hope that negotiations will start in a bid to resolve the row after the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) invited Aslef to talks about exploring any common ground which could break the deadlock.
No formal talks between the operators and the union have been held for a year and for longer involving a transport minister.
Business groups have warned of the impact on the economy of the strikes, especially for hospitality firms.
Muniya Barua, deputy chief executive at BusinessLDN, said: “Yet another round of industrial action across the rail network will cause disruption for businesses and commuters up and down the country.
“Amid weak economic growth, and as we head into a summer trading period which is crucial for retail, leisure and hospitality firms, we urge all parties to work together to resolve these long-running talks and keep the city moving. The impact of these walkouts will be felt even more acutely by many owing to a shorter working week.”
Aslef said its members have not had a pay rise for five years and has accused the Government of “giving up” trying to resolve the dispute.
A spokesman for the RDG said: “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.
“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.”
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “The Transport Secretary and rail minister have already facilitated a pay offer that would take train drivers’ average salaries up to £65,000 – almost twice the UK average salary.
“Aslef are the only union left striking after the Government oversaw deals with all the other unions.
“Instead of causing passengers disruption, they should put this offer to their members and work with industry to end this dispute.”
Hang on, there’s been no talks for over a year? No wonder a strike happened. No wonder they are an exiting government…
This has been going on for far too long and has become a source of extreme irritation.
They talk about how much a train driver earns but what about how much an MP earns?
Maybe the train drivers should have the same independent body that decides on MP’s earnings?
Failing that, they should strike permanently until an outcome is achieved.
Three rail franchise holders, the Rail Diversity Group, and the Govt decide not to give rail workers – most of whom are NOT drivers – a pay increase in five years, in the midst of an economic crisis crippling household finances, and then refuse to meet the union for over a year… but then claim a strike is “wholly unnecessary?” 🙂 Meanwhile, your article devotes just three lines and a partial indirect quote to Aslef, and 41 to the three groups opposed to them, where they are allowed to deliver their PR-approved statements unchallenged!
Institutionalised Union crap,I won’t say their being paid to much but to be asking for more is a insult,they’ve got the country by the balls, we hardly ever see a train conductor on thameslink, trains are filthy,and how southern have the nerve to charge higher rates is beyond belief, I bought a single from Portslade to Shoreham £3.50,less than 2 minutes on the train, their not even wearing balaclavas, higher more people, train more drivers and take the overtime out of the equation.
These trains workers must be on fairly decent salaries if they can keep taking days off.. Turned up at Brighton station this morning and plenty of staff standing around not doing a lot as usual. Part of the problem with the UK railways (apart from under funding and a privatised system) is the over-unionised work force.