The Aslef union says drivers at seven rail companies are on a 24-hour strike in a pay dispute and there are fears millions of passengers could be disrupted. Elsewhere, the AA is warning motorists that there could be severe congestion on major routes between 11am. and 3 p.m. today – with the South of England particularly vulnerable. A number of factors are to blame – including rail strikes, the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and the start of the Football League season in England. Motorists are being urged to brace for stop-start traffic as the weekend gets under way and the AA’s head of road policy, Jack Cushens, says the congestion will be a frustration for many. He added: “Besides getting food and water, some form of entertainment for the younger passengers might just hold back a sigh and mutter ‘I’m bored!’ for a while.” Roads to the Port of Dover and the Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone were unaffected by traffic yesterday, but National Highways says this weekend is “likely to be extremely busy”. The UK and France have now put plans in place to prevent border chaos and “maximize passenger flows” and weekly meetings will aim to avoid further disruption on both sides of the Channel. Around 140,000 passengers are expected to pass through the Port of Dover between Thursday and Sunday this week, as well as 45,000 cars and 18,000 HGVs. Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player 1:18 “We must remove the power of the racing unions” “More uncertainty and disruption” The Rail Delivery Group has accused union Aslef of timing its industrial action to coincide with major sporting events. Today’s strike affects Arriva Rail London, Greater Anglia, Great Western, Hull Trains, LNER, Southeastern and West Midlands trains. Rail Delivery Group chairman Steve Montgomery said: “We are really disappointed that Aslef’s leadership has decided to impose even more uncertainty and disruption on passengers and businesses in what has already been a week of strike action by the RMT.” Passengers on affected routes are urged to plan ahead and check before they travel – and if trains are cancelled, travelers can change their ticket, get a refund or use their ticket until Tuesday. Further strikes are planned next month in the deadlocked dispute over pay, jobs and conditions – with Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan insisting industrial action is “always a last resort”. He added: “We don’t want to inconvenience passengers, our friends and families also use public transport and we don’t want to lose money from the strike – but we have been forced into this position by the companies, who say they have been driven to this from the Tory government.’ Mr Whelan claimed many Aslef members had not had a pay rise for three years – and with inflation “running north of 10%”, these drivers had seen their wages cut in real terms. “It’s not unreasonable to ask your employer to make sure you’re not worse off for three years in a row,” he said. “Especially as the train companies are doing very well, thank you, outside of British Rail, with big profits, dividends for shareholders and big salaries for managers, and drivers don’t want to work more for less.”
