Train services at a standstill on busy routes as drivers walk out for third strike in four days

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Trains on a few of the busiest routes in the nation have been left at a standstill due to one other strike by drivers in their long-running pay dispute.

Commuters on services into London had been amongst passengers struggling Monday morning journey distress.

Members of Aslef walked out for the third strike in the previous four days, crippling services, particularly in East Anglia and the South East.

The motion at present is affecting c2c, Gatwick Express, Greater Anglia, Southeastern, Southern, South Western Railway, Great Northern and Thameslink.

Aslef is embroiled in a close to two-year lengthy dispute over pay, with no signal of a breakthrough and no talks deliberate.

The union says the dispute has price the business greater than £2 billion, far more than it will have price to resolve the battle.

South Western Railway mentioned a considerably lowered service will function on a small variety of strains, whereas the remainder of its community might be closed. Trains will solely run between 7am and 7pm.

Southern mentioned there might be no trains operating throughout the overwhelming majority of its community, with a restricted shuttle service operating continuous between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport.

There might be no Thameslink services operating, besides for a restricted shuttle service calling at Luton, Luton Airport Parkway and London St Pancras and one other restricted continuous shuttle service between London Kings Cross and Cambridge.

There might be no Great Northern or Gatwick Express services. However, Gatwick Airport will proceed to be served by the restricted continuous Southern shuttle.

Southeastern mentioned most of its routes and stations might be closed. There might be an especially restricted service the place trains are operating and the operator suggested clients to not journey.

An announcement mentioned: “If you do travel, expect severe disruption, plan ahead and allow much more time for your journey.

“Trains that are running will be extremely busy, they start later and finish early. You may be unable to board trains at some stations, and we estimate that there could be queues for up to two hours due to the very limited service. Only 29 out of 165 Southeastern stations will be open. No rail replacement buses will serve stations that are closed.”

No c2c trains will run. Rob Mullen, c2c managing director, mentioned: “I’m really disappointed that an agreement with Aslef hasn’t been reached. The impact of this ongoing action is significant for our customers and colleagues. I’m hopeful that further meetings with the unions are productive and see progress made toward concluding this challenging time for the railway.”

Greater Anglia mentioned its first trains of the day will begin later and final trains end sooner than regular, excluding the Stansted Express.

An hourly prepare service will function on the next Greater Anglia routes: Norwich/Colchester and London Liverpool Street; Southend Victoria and London Liverpool Street; Stansted Airport and London Liverpool Street. A bi-hourly prepare service will run between Cambridge and London.

No different Greater Anglia services will function on another routes.

Aslef members at 16 prepare firms are additionally banning extra time on Monday and Tuesday which can disrupt services.

Picket strains had been mounted outdoors railway stations of operators affected by the strike.

Aslef basic secretary Mick Whelan mentioned his members remained solidly behind the commercial motion, and criticised the Government and rail firms for the dearth of contact over the previous yr.

The Government launched a new legislation final yr aimed at guaranteeing minimal ranges of service throughout strikes, however not one of the prepare firms have opted to make use of it.

A Rail Delivery Group spokesperson mentioned: “Train companies are working through plans to manage the unnecessary disruption to our passengers caused by this damaging industrial action.

“Minimum service levels are one potential tool for that but they are not a silver bullet. In the meantime we remain committed to resolving this dispute and our offer, which would take average driver salaries to £65,000 for a four-day week without overtime, remains on the table.”

A Department for Transport spokesperson mentioned: “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.”

National Express was including hundreds of additional seats throughout its UK-wide coach community.

The coach operator was anticipating to hold over 13 per cent extra passengers through the strike weekend and added round 100 extra coach departures on standard routes to satisfy buyer demand.

Catherine Woolfe, buyer and advertising director for National Express UK & Ireland, mentioned: “People deserve affordable, reliable and sustainable public transport and yet again they are seeing disruption on the railways.

“Our forward bookings show that demand for coach travel is up over 13 per cent this weekend, with savvy customers turning to National Express for reliable, great value travel and a guaranteed seat.”