Train strike cripples rail routes and sparks large queues on the street
- Aslef union members staging recent walkouts in long-running dispute over pay
- Rolling strikes run into subsequent week and can severely disrupt 17 prepare operators
- Commuters enduring nightmare journeys with site visitors bumper-to-bumper
- Has YOUR journey been disrupted? Email [email protected]
Train hell for commuters has begun in the present day as drivers stage recent walkouts throughout 9 days in a dispute over pay, crippling the community and inflicting journey chaos on the roads.
Members of union Aslef began disrupting companies yesterday with an time beyond regulation ban earlier than trains got here to a standstill in the present day for twenty-four hours at rail operators throughout the nation.
The rolling strikes run into subsequent week and can severely disrupt 17 prepare operators on among the nation’s busiest commuter routes – regardless of a brand new legislation geared toward making certain prepare operators might run 40 % of companies.
But all the prepare firms have failed to make use of the minimal service ranges laws, a lot to the ire of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak who urged them to ‘now use them’.
Traffic cameras on the Blackwall tunnel in London confirmed large queues already forming at 6.30am with autos bumper-to-bumper through the early morning rush as individuals have been pressured to endure a nightmare journey to work.
Commuters arrived at London Bridge station to seek out the gates shut, whereas Victoria station appeared eerily quiet this morning with simply the Gatwick Express service working.
Today the strikes will goal primarily the south with prepare drivers strolling out at:
- Southeastern;
- Southern/Gatwick Express;
- Great Northern;
- Thameslink; and
- South Western Railway
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Nine days of prepare strikes has begun in the present day, crippling the community and inflicting site visitors chaos on the roads (Pictured: Traffic on the Blackwall tunnel strategy in south London)
Drivers have been bumper-to-bumper this morning as they needed to endure a nightmare journey to work
Commuters anticipating to have the ability to catch a prepare have been left disenchanted outdoors London Bridge this morning as they discovered the doorway shut
South Western Railway (SWR) urged passengers to solely journey if ‘completely essential’ warning {that a} considerably diminished service will function on a restricted variety of strains.
While indicators at London Waterloo station yesterday warned of the approaching doom that awaited this morning with swathes of the community shut down.
Further walkouts will happen tomorrow at Northern Trains and TPE, earlier than a day’s break on Thursday when the time beyond regulation ban will nonetheless be in place.
They will restart once more on Friday at LNER, Greater Anglia and C2C, earlier than employees at West Midlands Trains, Avanti West Coast and East Midlands Railway walkout on Saturday February 3 and at Great Western, CrossCountry and Chiltern on Monday February 5.
A SWR assertion stated: ‘Large components of our community will probably be closed and trains will solely run between 0700 and 1900.
‘There will probably be no companies outdoors of those occasions.’
There will probably be comparable ranges of disruption at different prepare operators embroiled within the dispute.
Where companies do run they are going to begin later and end sooner than ordinary.
LNER is already anticipated to be hit by strikes when industrial motion is taken on February 2
Inside an eerily quiet the standard bustling London Bridge station this morning
The boundaries on the station are open however no trains will probably be working from London Bridge in the present day due to the strikes
An indication at London Bridge apologises and reads: ‘Due to industrial motion, there aren’t any companies working in the present day’
The station is open at diminished hours from 9am till 6pm for ‘retail solely’ with no prepare companies working
Passengers at London Waterloo station take a look at the prepare info boards yesterday and a display informing them concerning the industrial motion
Members of union Aslef began disrupting companies yesterday with an time beyond regulation ban earlier than trains got here to a standstill in the present day for twenty-four hours at prepare operators throughout the nation
The rolling strikes run into subsequent week and can severely disrupt 17 prepare operators on among the nation’s busiest commuter routes
All of the prepare firms have failed to make use of the minimal service ranges laws, a lot to the ire of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak who urged them to ‘now use them’
An indication at Waterloo station yesterday urged passengers to solely journey if their journey is important
Picket strains will probably be mounted outdoors railway stations.
Aslef’s normal secretary Mick Whelan says some drivers haven’t had a pay rise for nearly 5 years.
He has accused the Government of ‘giving up’ attempting to resolve the row.
The strikes have been anticipated to be the primary take a look at of the minimal service ranges laws, geared toward making certain prepare operators might run 40 % of companies.
But not one of the prepare firms are utilizing the brand new legislation, which the Government can also be planning to increase to different sectors.
Labour has stated it’s going to repeal the legislation if it wins the following normal election.
Downing Street expressed disappointment at rail operators who should not utilizing the minimal service ranges laws.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak informed the Daily Mail: ‘They’re accessible for prepare operators to make use of – a key instrument that prepare operators themselves have requested for – to cut back the affect of disruption on passengers. They ought to now use them.
‘Now, the general public rightly anticipate them to be deployed when strike motion is named and for prepare operators to behave in the perfect pursuits of their passengers.’
Mr Sunak stated Aslef ought to settle for the ‘truthful and cheap pay deal that continues to be on the desk’.
‘It’s irritating that but once more, Aslef’s management have proven no real interest in resolving this dispute whereas persevering with their marketing campaign of contempt for British passengers and taxpayers, who’ve subsidised the railways with £12 billion previously yr alone,’ he stated.
‘The selection for Aslef is evident – proceed this act of self-harm to their trade and drive extra passengers away from the railways, or they’ll settle for the truthful and cheap pay deal that continues to be on the desk.’
Aslef boss Mick Whelan outdoors the Department for Transport in London on January 9, 2023
Members of Aslef on the picket line outdoors Reading station in Berkshire in September 2023 (Photo: Shutterstock)
Aslef normal secretary Mr Whelan stated: ‘It has now been a yr since we had any contact from the Department for Transport. It’s clear they don’t wish to resolve this dispute’ (Photo: PA, from June 2023)
A Department for Transport spokesperson stated: ‘Aslef’s management is refusing to let their members vote on a suggestion that might see the common prepare driver’s wage enhance to £65,000.
‘The Transport Secretary and Rail Minister have already facilitated talks that led to this truthful and cheap provide from trade. Aslef bosses ought to put it to their members so we are able to resolve the dispute, which has already occurred with the RMT, TSSA and Unite unions.
‘With passenger revenues not having recovered for the reason that pandemic, the taxpayer has needed to prop up the railways with £12 billion previously yr alone – these strikes is not going to change the necessity for pressing office reforms that Aslef proceed to dam.’
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