Rail Chaos Hits UK Again as Aslef Launches Third Strike in Four Days
Rail passengers faced fresh chaos on Monday, April 8, as Aslef union members staged their third day of strikes in just four days. The walkout, over a bitter pay row, severely disrupted services across London, East Anglia, and the South East — some of the country’s busiest routes.
Massive Service Cuts Across Major Operators
Operators hit by the strike include c2c, Gatwick Express, Greater Anglia, Southeastern, Southern, South Western Railway, Great Northern, and Thameslink. Passengers were warned to expect drastic reductions, with many services either scrapped or running minimal shuttles.
- South Western Railway ran a skeleton service from 7am to 7pm on select lines only, shutting down the rest.
- Southern cancelled most trains, except a limited non-stop shuttle between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport.
- Thameslink halted nearly all services, leaving only shuttles between Luton, Luton Airport Parkway, London St Pancras, and London Kings Cross to Cambridge.
- Great Northern and Gatwick Express ceased operations entirely, though Gatwick Airport stayed reachable via the Southern shuttle.
- Southeastern saw 136 of its 165 stations closed, with just 29 remaining open and no replacement services available – the company urged travellers to avoid rail journeys.
- c2c had zero trains running. Managing Director Rob Mullen expressed frustration over the failure to reach a deal, citing the strike’s severe impact on customers and staff.
- Greater Anglia delayed start times and ended services early, running hourly trains on limited London Liverpool Street routes and a bi-hourly service between Cambridge and London. All other routes were cancelled.
Strike Paired With Overtime Ban, No Talks in Sight
Adding fuel to the fire, Aslef members have implemented an overtime ban across 16 train companies on Monday and Tuesday, April 8-9, deepening disruption. The union’s pay dispute spans nearly two years, costing the rail industry over £2 billion — far surpassing the cost of settling the row.
No fresh talks are scheduled, despite a 2023 law designed to enforce minimum service levels during strikes — a measure no operator has used. The government and Aslef remain deadlocked over pay, with train drivers’ average salaries set to rise from £60,000 to £65,000 if the current offer is accepted.
With no end in sight, rail travellers face more misery and uncertainty in the coming weeks.
