Union members from Aslef to continue train strikes over the weekend

  • Issa Farfour reports.

Train drivers who are members of the union Aslef will strike for 24 hours over the weekend.

On Friday, 5 April, all Avanti West Coast Services - which run from Holyhead, Bangor, Llandudno Junction and Wrexham to London and Birmingham - will be cancelled.

On Saturday, 6 April, Great Western Rail (GWR) services will be limited.

Transport For Wales services will not be affected, but are expected to be extremely busy due to the disruption.

The disruption comes as members of drivers' union Aslef take part in an overtime ban from Thursday to Saturday, and for 48 hours from Monday.

The union rejected an 8% offer last spring, with 96% of Aslef members voting to take strike action last month. Credit: Transport for Wales

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “ASLEF is the only rail union continuing to strike, targeting passengers and preventing their own members from voting on the pay offer that remains on the table.

"Having resolved disputes with all other rail unions, the Transport Secretary and Rail Minister have ensured that a pay offer is on the table - taking train drivers’ average salaries from £60,000 up to £65,000.”

The union rejected an 8% offer last spring, with 96% of Aslef members voting to take strike action last month.

This would be the union’s 14th one-day strike since the dispute started in 2022.

Aslef general secretary, Mick Wheelan, said: "Our members voted overwhelmingly – yet again – for strike action.

"Those votes show – yet again – a clear rejection by train drivers of the ridiculous offer put to us in April last year by the Rail Delivery Group which knew that offer would be rejected because a land grab for all the terms & conditions we have negotiated over the years would never be accepted by our members."

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