Train drivers to stage 22 days of strikes on east coast mainline

Passengers travelling between London and Edinburgh face months of disruption after LNER drivers announced 22 days of strike action from the start of September to early November.

- Jack Simpson, Rowena Mason

The train drivers' union Aslef said its members working for LNER would take action every weekend between just after midnight on 1 September and 10 November following what it called a complete "breakdown in industrial relations, bullying by management and persistent breaking of agreements by the company".

The action will cause widespread disruption to passenger services on the east coast mainline, which is also the key route between London and cities including Leeds, York and Newcastle.

The union has emphasised that this action is unrelated to its longrunning national dispute involving 16 train companies, which could soon be resolved if its members accept a new pay deal agreed between the government and Aslef leaders this week.

However, it will cause a headache for the new Labour government, as the east coast line has been run by the Department for Transport (DfT) as an operator of last resort under the LNER brand since May 2018. The government took it over after Virgin Trains East Coast, 90% owned by Stagecoach, ended its loss-making contract.

The fresh strikes are a blow to government hopes that the deal being put to Aslef members in their dispute with 16 English train operating companies would draw a line under more than two years of disruption on the railways. Train drivers are being offered a pay rise of nearly 15% over three years, all backdated and pensionable, without any changes to terms and conditions.