TRAIN drivers union Aslef announced a series of pay row strikes on London’s Elizabeth line today.

The walkouts on February 27 and on March 1, 8 and 10 are weeks before the popular central London line’s operator is replaced with another contractor.

MTR will hand over to a consortium of Go-Ahead Group, Tokyo Metro and Sumitomo Corporation on May 24.

Aslef’s general secretary Mick Whelan said that MTR has decided not to recognise the input, the importance, and the value of train drivers in the success of the line, adding: “I suspect that the company’s intransigence is because it has lost the contract with Transport for London (TfL) to run the Elizabeth line.”

MTR Elizabeth line managing director Mike Bagshaw said it was disappointed that the drivers were striking after rejecting a 4.5 per cent pay rise.

TfL said: “We encourage Aslef and MTR Elizabeth line to continue working towards resolving this dispute and avoid impacting our customers with strike action.”