Why won't firms use new laws to halt walkouts, asks minister as strike hits rail

THOUSANDS of commuters defied union attempts to shut down key routes into London today but there was little sign of an end to the rail strikes.

- Ross Lydall & Jitendra Joshi

Train drivers belonging to Aslef walked out at firms including South Western Railway, Southern, Thameslink and Southeastern in the latest stage of a 20-month battle to win a pay rise.

But at Waterloo, the main terminus for South Western Railway, there was a steady flow of passengers arriving in the morning rush hour after the firm was able to run a limited service from towns such as Woking, Feltham and Basingstoke.

The Government described the strikes as "unnecessary" and expressed disappointment that none of the private train firms had used new laws that would have required staff to run at least 40 per cent of services.

It came as the RMT union said that hundreds of its members on the London Overground, which is operated by Arriva for Transport for London, would strike next month in a battle over pay.

Further strikes are due to hit C2C, Greater Anglia and LNER services on Friday, Avanti West Coast on Saturday and Chiltern and GWR on Monday.

Government minister Lee Rowley told Sky News that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was "disappointed" that rail firms were not using minimum service laws.