After a year of train misery, strike action is set to continue into the new year.
The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) has begun a fresh set of strikes in January, which will disrupt a number of services.
Londoners are set for further travel woes as both bus drivers and train drivers have announced they will continue industrial action.
Additionally, the Aslef union will give notice to Transport for London that it plans to ballot its 2,000 members. The ballot result is due on February 15, and if members vote for industrial action, Tube workers could go on strike in early March.
When are the rail strikes?
The RMT union announced on November 22 that 40,000 members across Network Rail and 14 train companies would take strike action on January 3, 4, 6, and 7.
Train drivers represented by Aslef also launched a national day of strike action on Thursday, January 5.
Aslef is also preparing to hold a series of “hard-hitting and protracted strikes” that would shut down the London Underground.
When are the London bus strikes?
Bus drivers employed by Abellio in south and west London continue strike action.
Days affected by bus strikes in January include 10, 12, 16, 19, 25, and 26.
When are the Tube strikes?
The London Underground will not be involved in this week’s train strikes, however, they could have a knock-on effect on TfL services.
According to TfL, there will be some disruption expected on London Overground, the Elizabeth line, the Circle line, and parts of the District and Bakerloo lines on strike days.
On the days after strikes, services affected by strikes will cause early-morning disruption but good service is expected by late morning.
For more information about Tube disruptions, visit TfL.
Which unions are striking?
There are multiple disputes involving different employers, including Network Rail and more than a dozen train operators.
- RMT, the main rail union
- Aslef, representing train drivers
- TSSA, the union for white-collar staff in the transport industry
- Unite, representing some grades of train operators
What has been said about the strikes?
Tim Shoveller, Network Rail’s chief negotiator, said: “A two-year eight per cent deal, with discounted travel and a new extended job guarantee to January 2025, is on the table ready to be put to our staff. Unfortunately, the leadership of the RMT seems intent on more damaging strikes rather than giving their members a vote on our offer.
“Me and my team remain available for serious talks and continue to negotiate in good faith. Our sector has a £2 billion hole in its budget, with many fewer passengers using our services. That reality is not going to change any time soon, and a fair and affordable and improved deal is on the table, ready to be implemented if our people were only offered the opportunity.”
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “This is incredibly disappointing. Through no fault of their own, millions of people will once again have their day-to-day lives disrupted and be unable to attend work, school, or vital doctors’ appointments.
“Our railway is in desperate need of modernisation but all more strikes will do is take it back to the dark ages and push passengers further away.
“We urge union bosses to reconsider this divisive action and instead work with employers, not against them, to agree a new way forward.”
The general secretary of Aslef, Mick Whelan, told the Independent: “What we need is for the Government to take the shackles off the privateers. The privateers have entered into a contract [with the Government] not to offer more than two per cent on pay. When we talk to the Government, they tell us to go and talk to the people we work for.
“Everybody we work for is paying out to their shareholders. Everybody we work for is turning over hundreds of millions of pounds out of the taxpayer. Yet the people that are generating that money, all railway workers and train drivers, are not getting their share.”
Asked when the strikes might end, he said: “It ends when someone talks to us.”