ASLEF rail union announced a fresh round of strikes and overtime ban today in its members’ long-running pay dispute.

Train drivers will take part in a rolling programme of one-day strikes from January 30 to February 5 and ban overtime for nine days from January 29.

The union said it wanted to put pressure on “intransigent” train operating firms as well as the “tone-deaf” Tory government to give train drivers their first pay rise in almost five years.

General secretary Mick Whelan said: “We have given the government every opportunity to come to the table but it is now a year since we had any contact from the Department for Transport. It’s clear they do not want to resolve this dispute.”

He added the Tories’ minimum service levels laws, which threaten striking workers with the sack, “will just make it worse.”

By the end of this series of strikes, which will affect 16 train-operating firms, drivers will have walked out for 19 days since the dispute began in June 2022. 

The Rail Delivery Group, which represents train operators, said: “Strikes are particularly difficult to justify at a time when taxpayers are continuing to contribute an extra £54m a week to keep services running."

The Department for Transport said: "It's very disappointing to see Aslef continuing to target those who travel to work, school or important medical appointments by train."