High Court bans Aslef's Southern train strike action call

New 12-car trains are due to make up 50% of all Gatwick Express services by June

A train drivers' union has lost a legal battle to overturn a court injunction preventing its members from striking over driver-only trains.

The High Court has barred Aslef from inducing Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) drivers to take industrial action.

Aslef had argued new trains on Gatwick and Southern services were less safe.

Mr Justice Supperstone said the injunction would last until claims Aslef had acted unlawfully had been analysed at a trial.

A date has been set for a hearing on 27 June.

'Oppressive'

GTR claimed the union had breached rules by already calling upon its members to participate in industrial action.

They also said the union had wrongly balloted drivers who would not be asked to drive the new trains.

Aslef disputed the claims and said the imposition of an injunction barring industrial action in the wake of a ballot would be "oppressive".

Mr Justice Supperstone rejected the union's complaint.

He said: "The potential disruption and inconvenience to the general public and damage likely to be caused by the industrial action significantly outweighs the suggested harm to the union."