The
Rail
Delivery
Group


is
warning
that
train
services
in
England
are
set
to
be
seriously
disrupted
from
the
end
of
this
month,
when
the
drivers’
union
ASLEF
stages
industrial
action
in
the
continuing
dispute
over
pay.
Two
24-hour
strikes
have
been
called
for
30
September
and
4
October,
and
the
union
will
also
ban
overtime
on
29
September
and
from
2
to
6
October.

The
walkouts
will
affect
nearly
all
English
operators,
and
also
disrupt
cross-border
train
services
in
Wales
and
Scotland.
Domestic
services
in
those
countries
are
expected
to
run
as
usual.

The
RDG
said
it
was
’likely
that
evening
services
on
some
lines
will
be
affected
on
the
days
before
each
strike.
Morning
services
on
those
lines
may
also
be
disrupted
on
1
and
5
October
because
much
of
the
rolling
stock
will
not
be
in
the
right
depots’.

ASLEF
has

rejected
an
offer
which
would
have
given
drivers
an
8
per
cent
rise
over
two
years.

The
RDG
added:
‘We
want
to
resolve
this
dispute
and
are
acutely
aware
of
the
damaging
impact
it’s
having
on
our
passengers,
our
people
and
the
long-term
sustainability
of
the
industry
itself.
We
apologise
to
our
customers
for
the
unnecessary
disruption
to
their
journeys
caused
by
the
ASLEF
leadership.

‘The
offer
to
ASLEF,
which
would
take
average
driver
salaries
from
£60,000
to
£65,000
for
a
four-day
week,
remains
on
the
table,
and
we
are
always
open
to
constructive
dialogue.
However,
at
a
time
when
industry
is
losing
£10
million
a
day
post-Covid,
its
leadership
must
recognise
the
need
to
make
changes
to
how
the
industry
is
run,
to
both
fund
any
rise
and
crucially,
so
we
can
give
our
passengers
more
reliable
train
services,
particularly
on
Sundays.’