Rail passengers on many of the UK’s busiest commuter routes are facing travel misery because of a strike by train drivers.
Members of the Aslef union are walking out on Monday for the third strike in four days, hitting services in East Anglia and the southeast.
The strike affects c2c, Gatwick Express, Greater Anglia, Southeastern, Southern, South Western Railway, Great Northern and Thameslink.
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Many lines are closed and others partially shut down with only a handful of services operating. An overtime ban will affect all other operators in England and have a severe impact on some operations.
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The union is locked in an almost two-year dispute over pay, with no sign of a breakthrough and no talks planned. The union says the dispute has cost the industry more than £2 billion, far more than it would have cost to resolve the conflict.
South Western Railway said a significantly reduced service is operating on a few lines, while the rest of its network would be closed. Trains are only running between 7am and 7pm.
Southern said there are no trains running on most of its network, with a limited shuttle service running non-stop between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport.
There are no Thameslink services, except for a limited shuttle service calling at Luton, Luton Airport Parkway and London St Pancras and another limited non-stop shuttle service between London King’s Cross and Cambridge.
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There are no Great Northern or Gatwick Express services. However, Gatwick Airport will continue to be served by the limited non-stop Southern shuttle.
Southeastern said most of its routes and stations are closed. There is an extremely limited service where trains are running and the operator advised customers not to travel. No c2c trains are running while Greater Anglia is operating a limited service with reduced hours.
Mick Whelan, Aslef’s general secretary, said his members remained solidly behind the industrial action, and criticised the government and rail companies for the lack of contact over the past year.
Ministers introduced a new law last year aimed at ensuring minimum levels of service during strikes, but none of the train companies have opted to use it.
A Rail Delivery Group spokesman said: “Train companies are working through plans to manage the unnecessary disruption to our passengers caused by this damaging industrial action.
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“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 spokesman said: “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.”
