Train unions announce a series of fresh strikes in the week of early May bank holiday

Train drivers at 16 rail companies are to stage strikes in their long running pay dispute for six days next month.

This series of strikes will disrupt travel during the May bank holiday week, staring on 6 May. Aslef members at LNER, Northern and Transpennine Express will strike on 9 May, disrupting transport in the North West.

According to the union, the dispute is to give train drivers, who have not had an increase in salary for five years the pay rise the unions says they deserve.

General secretary Mick Wheelan said: “It is now a year since we sat in a room with the train companies and a year since we rejected the risible offer they made and which they admitted, privately, was designed to be rejected”.

A spokesman for the Rail Delivery Group said: “This wholly unnecessary strike action called by the Aslef leadership will sadly disrupt customers and businesses once again, while further damaging the railway at a time when taxpayers are continuing to contribute an extra £54 million a week just to keep services running.

“We continue to seek a fair agreement with the Aslef leadership which both rewards our people, gives our customers more reliable services and makes sure the railway isn’t taking more than its fair share from taxpayers.”