Rolling train strike action heads north

Members of the Aslef union picketed outside Newcastle Station on Thursday

Rail users are being warned some services will "grind to a halt" on the third day of a series of rolling one-day strikes.

Aslef members at Northern, Transpennine Express and LNER, which run services across the north east of England and Cumbria, are walking out on Thursday.

People are being told to check before they travel, with no Northern or Transpennine services running at all.

The train drivers union said the walk out is part of a long running dispute to get workers the "pay rise they deserve".

Northern, the second largest operator in the UK, said: "Unfortunately, the action by Aslef on Thursday 9 May will see our network grind to a halt."

Transpennine Express, which runs services to places including the Lake District, Durham and the Northumberland coast, apologised and said it would "not run any trains at all".

LNER is running a limited service between London and Edinburgh stopping at Newcastle, but said services to places like Sunderland and Middlesbrough are not running.

Aslef said drivers are being asked to sacrifice working conditions in exchange for a wage increase

Aslef’s general secretary Mick Whelan said train drivers had not had an increase in salary for five years.

Strike action began in July 2022 with no formal talks since April 2023

Mr Whelan added: "Drivers would not vote to strike if they thought an offer was acceptable. They don't."

The body which negotiates on behalf of the rail companies, the Rail Delivery Group, said it continues to "seek a fair agreement" but has apologised to customers for "this wholly unnecessary strike action".

A spokesperson also advised rail users to check before they travel.

Further disruption is expected until Saturday 11 May as part of an Aslef overtime ban.