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| Disruption as fresh wave of train strikes begins | Disruption as fresh wave of train strikes begins |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Rail services will grind to a halt in parts of the country today as a fresh wave of strikes begins. | |
| Members of the train drivers' union Aslef will walk out on Wednesday and again on 3 June, the day of the FA Cup Final, while members of the RMT will strike on Friday. | Members of the train drivers' union Aslef will walk out on Wednesday and again on 3 June, the day of the FA Cup Final, while members of the RMT will strike on Friday. |
| Aslef said there was "no waning in enthusiasm" in the long-running dispute over pay and conditions. | Aslef said there was "no waning in enthusiasm" in the long-running dispute over pay and conditions. |
| The government said the strikes were co-ordinated to disrupt major events. | The government said the strikes were co-ordinated to disrupt major events. |
| Wednesday's strikes will affect 15 train companies, with services due to start later and finish much earlier than usual - typically between 07:30am and 06:30. | Wednesday's strikes will affect 15 train companies, with services due to start later and finish much earlier than usual - typically between 07:30am and 06:30. |
| Around 40% of trains will run but there will be wide regional variations, with some operators running no services at all. | Around 40% of trains will run but there will be wide regional variations, with some operators running no services at all. |
| How Wednesday's train strike will affect you | How Wednesday's train strike will affect you |
| Mick Whelan, general secretary of Aslef, said train drivers were "determined to get a resolution and remain in this for the long haul". | Mick Whelan, general secretary of Aslef, said train drivers were "determined to get a resolution and remain in this for the long haul". |
| But he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that "zero" progress had been made in negotiations with the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), which represents train operators, and accused the government of being underhand. | |
| "We go into talks in good faith, then deceitfully [the RDG] put out deals they know are destined to fail and we can't accept. | |
| "Ultimately, we'll have to solve this - after four years without a pay rise my members feel they're entitled to one, particularly during this cost of living crisis." | |
| During the RMT walkout on Friday, half of the network is set to shut down, with around 50% of normal services running. | |
| And Aslef drivers will walk out again on Saturday, affecting the first ever all-Manchester FA Cup final at Wembley and the Epsom Derby. | |
| It is likely that evening services on some lines will be affected on the days before each strike, so passengers are advised to check the last train times on the evenings before strike days and the mornings following strikes. | It is likely that evening services on some lines will be affected on the days before each strike, so passengers are advised to check the last train times on the evenings before strike days and the mornings following strikes. |
| Mr Whelan said this weekend's strikes had not been planned to disrupt major events, adding that there was not "a day in this country when there's not a pop concert or something going on". | |
| But an RDG spokesperson said the walkouts would cause "disappointment and frustration for tens of thousands of people" and inconvenience families travelling for the half-term holidays. | |
| A spokesperson for the Department for Transport added that the unions were forcing their members to miss out on pay every time they strike. | |
| "The government has facilitated a fair and reasonable pay offer, now union leaders must do the right thing and put this to their members," they added. | |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Rail travel | Rail travel |