More rail strikes announced for next month

Some 15 train companies will be affected by the action.

Negotiations between train companies and unions over a long-running pay dispute have failed.

Further industrial action has been announced for February, meaning a resolution is some time away.

Members of the Aslef union are to strike on February 1 and 3 after they rejected an offer, causing more travel disruption across the country.

Some 100,000 civil servants and teachers are also striking on February 1 in their dispute over pay and jobs.

The date also coincides with nationwide protests against the controversial new strike law introduced by the government.

Mick Whelan, general secretary of Aslef, said: ‘The offer is not acceptable but we are willing to engage in further discussions with the train operating companies.

‘Not only is the offer a real-terms pay cut, with inflation running north of 10%, but it came with so many conditions attached that it was clearly unacceptable.

‘They want to rip up our terms and conditions in return for a real-terms pay cut.

‘It was clearly a rushed offer, made just before our meeting with the minister, and not one, it seems to me, that was designed to be accepted.

‘Our members at these companies have not had an increase since 2019, despite soaring inflation, and it is time the companies – encouraged, perhaps, by the government – sat down with us and got serious.

‘That is the way – and the only way – to end this dispute.’

Got a story? Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. Or you can submit your videos and pictures here.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

Follow Metro.co.uk on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news updates. You can now also get Metro.co.uk articles sent straight to your device. Sign up for our daily push alerts here.