Northern passengers warned as ASLEF members set to strike

There will be no Northern rail services on Thursday May 9 when members of the ASLEF train drivers union walk out amid what is now an almost two year pay dispute.

But there is likely to be further disruption to other services throughout the rest of next week.

A Rail Delivery Group spokesperson said: “The rail industry is working hard to keep trains running but it is likely that services on some lines will be affected on the evening before and morning after each strike between May 7 and May 9 because many trains will not be in the right depots to start services the following day.

“Customers should also be aware of Network Rail’s engineering works which will take place this coming early May Bank Holiday.

Passengers at Bolton Station have been warned (Image: Network Rail)

“Those customers planning to travel around Cambridge, Liverpool and between Birmingham Airport and Rugby/Leamington Spa should check their journeys before setting off.

“We can only apologise to our customers for this wholly unnecessary strike action called by the ASLEF leadership which will sadly disrupt journeys once again.

“It will also inflict further damage on an industry that is receiving up to an additional £54M a week in taxpayer cash to keep services running, following the Covid downturn.”

Northern has said that there will be no train services will run at all on Thursday, May 9.

That Northern services are likely to be busier than normal on Wednesday May 8 and that passengers should check before travelling.

They have also advised that most services will still be running in the wider time period between May 6 and 11 but that people should still check before travelling in case of cancellations.

ASLEF general secretary Mick Whelan 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.”

ALSO READ: Urgent message for passengers using Bolton train station

ALSO READ: Why London and Glasgow trains are travelling through Bolton today

ALSO READ: Bolton MP calls for direct London rail link – but could local services be cut?

He added: “Since then train drivers have voted, again and again, to take action to get a pay rise.

“That's why Mark Harper, the Transport Secretary, is being disingenuous when he says that offer should have been put to members.

“Drivers would not vote to strike if they thought an offer was acceptable.

“They don't and that offer, now a year old, is dead in the water.”