Train strikes 2023: Workers to walk out for 3 days in July - what are the affected services

Thousands of rail workers are set to walk out for three days from this week over their prolonged pay dispute with the train companies, with the latest strike potentially impacting fans travelling to two of the Ashes Tests and The Open Championship golf tournament taking place later this month.

About 20,000 RMT union members will take part in the next round of strikes, which will affect 14 train operators across England due to the employers’ refusal to amend pay offers. This comes after train drivers from 16 different rail companies refused to work over time for six days in July, while London Underground workers also scheduled four days of walkouts in July.

The three strike days – Thursday (July 20), Saturday (July 22), and Saturday (July 29) – will affect cricket fans travelling to the fourth and fifth Ashes Tests, which will be held at Old Trafford in Manchester from Wednesday, July 19 through Sunday, July 23. The fifth test in London will take place from Thursday, July 27 through Monday, July 31.

Meanwhile, the Aslef train drivers’ overtime ban, which may result in last-minute cancellations, will last for six days, from Monday, July 3 through Saturday, July 8. The strike also coincides with the first week of Wimbledon this year, which began on Monday, July 3.

In May, the strikes by RMT and Aslef members caused disruptions for rail passengers, including those attending the FA Cup final at Wembley, the Epsom Derby, Beyonce’s Renaissance world tour at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and the Eurovision final in Liverpool.

Transport union chief Mick Lynch said despite the ongoing strike, the union has still not met a Government minister since January to resolve the pay dispute. On a Sunday programme with Sky, he said: “No contact. They seem to pick out the RMT as a special category where they can’t negotiate on a reasonable basis.

“We’re available to talk to them, but I don’t think I’ve met a Government minister since January, and even the employers now have stopped negotiating. So I don’t know whether they’re waiting or all this other stuff to be cleared out of the way.

“We don’t know if there’s going to be settlements yet - they’re out for referendum and consultation with their members, we’ll see. They’ve certainly offered the others more than we’ve been offered. There’s no strings attached to those deals; we’ve got to accept a whole host of change and dilution to those terms and conditions, and job losses.”

Mr Lynch said strikes will continue until an agreement is reached.

Meanwhile, Aslef, a union that represents 16 of the country’s 35 rail operators, announced last month that its members would withdraw non-contractual overtime, known as rest-day working, from Monday (July 3) to Saturday (July 8).

It is understood there have been no negotiations between the union and the rail operators since the action was announced on June 19.

The latest wave of industrial action is separate from the union’s ongoing national pay dispute with the government, which saw members vote in favour of continuing strike action for the next six months after rejecting the government’s “risible 4% pay offer.”

Which rail companies are affected by the latest strike?

• Avanti West Coast
• C2C
• Chiltern Railways
• East Midlands Railway
• GTR (includes Southern, Thames-link, Great Northern and Gatwick Express)
• Great Western Railway
• Greater Anglia (includes Stansted Express)
• LNER
• Northern Trains
• Southeastern
• South Western Railway
• TransPennine Express
• West Midlands Trains
• GTR operates Southern, Thames-link, Great Northern and Gatwick Express

Train companies affected by overtime ban 

• Avanti West Coast
• Chiltern Railways
• Cross Country
• East Midlands Railway
• Greater Anglia
• GWR
• GTR Great Northern Thameslink
• Island Line
• LNER
• Northern Trains
• Southeastern
• Southern/Gatwick Express
• South Western Railway main line
• SWR depot drivers
• TransPennine Express
• West Midlands Trains