Rail passengers face fresh travel disruption over the next two days because of strikes by train drivers and other workers in long-running disputes over pay.

Members of the drivers’ union Aslef will walk out on Friday, May 12 at more than a dozen train operators, set to "cripple" services across the UK.

Aslef will hold further strike action on May 31 and June 3 – the day of the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium in London.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) will then strike on Saturday, May 13 – the day of the Eurovision Song Contest final in Liverpool.

Your Local Guardian: Train services across the UK are set to be affected by strike action over the next two days.Train services across the UK are set to be affected by strike action over the next two days. (Image: PA)

Passengers are being urged to check before they travel on both days.

Steve Montgomery, who chairs the Rail Delivery Group, said: “The upcoming rail strikes called by the Aslef and RMT leadership will not only affect our passengers’ daily commute but will also impact those travelling from outside Liverpool and London to come to Eurovision and the FA Cup final, causing disappointment and frustration for those who have planned to attend.

“It will also further burden our people who have already lost thousands of pounds at a time of financial strain.

“We understand the impact of these strikes on individuals and businesses alike, and we can only apologise for this unnecessary and damaging disruption.

“While we are doing all we can to keep trains running, unfortunately there will be reduced train services across the network between Friday May 12 and Saturday June 3, so our advice is to check before you travel. Passengers with Advance tickets can be refunded fee-free if the train that the ticket is booked for is cancelled, delayed or rescheduled.”

Which operators are part of the RMT and Aslef train strikes on May 12 and 13?

Drivers and rail workers from 19 operators will walk out today and tomorrow (May 12 and 13) as part of the RMT and Aslef train strikes, impacting services across the UK. 

These operators include:

  • Avanti West Coast
  • c2c (Saturday 13 May only)
  • Chiltern Railways
  • CrossCountry
  • East Midlands Railway
  • Gatwick Express
  • Great Northern
  • GWR
  • Greater Anglia (including Stansted Express)
  • Heathrow Express
  • LNER
  • London Northwestern Railway
  • Northern
  • South Western Railway
  • Southeastern
  • Southern
  • Thameslink
  • TransPennine Express
  • West Midlands Railway

"We do not want to go on strike", says Aslef general secretary

Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan said: “We do not want to go on strike – we do not want to inconvenience passengers, we have families and friends who use the railway too, and we believe in investing in rail for the future of this country.

“But the blame for this action lies, fairly and squarely, at the feet of the employers who have forced our hand over this by their intransigence.

“It is now up to them to come up with a more sensible, and realistic, offer and we ask the Government not to hinder this process.

“We have been negotiating with employers – the train operating companies – for many months on pay. On several companies we have managed to come to an agreement, and on several others, multi-year deals have been honoured.

“Unfortunately a number of companies still have their hands tied by the Department for Transport and aren’t able to negotiate a reasonable deal with Aslef members.

“We are still prepared to negotiate in good faith but, unfortunately, as we have been unable to come to an agreement, we have had to consider industrial action.”

The Rail Delivery Group added after many weeks of negotiations with the Aslef leadership it had made a “revised and fair offer” including a pay rise of 8% over two years.

Aslef said a 4% pay offer was “risible and obviously unacceptable”.