Rail services to be hit by latest Aslef strike

South Western Railway train
South Western will only be running a reduced service through Woking [South Western Railway]

Most railway stations across Surrey will have no service today because of a strike by train drivers in the Aslef union.

It is part of a rolling series of strikes across several operators which began on Saturday.

A tube strike in central London also scheduled for Monday was called off on Thursday.

The government said the current pay offer would raise train drivers' average salaries to between £60,000 and £65,000 a year.

Haslemere, Godalming, Chertsey, Leatherhead and Epsom will have no service on Monday, as South Western will run only a reduced daytime service on the mainline through Woking.

Trains are scheduled on Great Western's North Downs Line, linking Farnborough, Guildford, Dorking, Redhill and Gatwick.

Drivers at Southern and Gatwick Express are also taking part in Monday's action.

Further delays and cancellations are likely until Tuesday, with an overtime ban meaning drivers refusing to work on rest days.

A Southern Rail train arriving at East Croydon station
Drivers at Southern are taking part in the strike on Monday [BBC]

Passengers are being advised to only travel if absolutely necessary and to check services before setting off.

Since the dispute began in 2022, 14 strikes have been called by Aslef.

Aslef rejected a pay offer made in April 2023, which would have seen a 4% pay rise two years in a row.

A Department for Transport spokesman 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.”

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