Customers reminded to check before they travel due to upcoming one day strikes and overtime ban across train companies in May

Customers are reminded to check before they travel due to industrial action called by the ASLEF leadership between Monday 6 to Saturday 11 May.     

Drivers at 16 train companies will strike for 24 hours on three consecutive dates between Tuesday 7 and Thursday 9 May, and there will be an overtime ban on all train companies from Monday 6 to Saturday 11 May.   

The strikes will affect services on train operators (listed below). Train companies will operate as many trains as possible throughout the period, but there will be regional variation with strike action affecting parts of the network on specific days. In some places there may be no services at all on strike days, and services that are running will start later and finish much earlier than usual – typically running between 7.30am and 6.30pm.     

The rail industry is working hard to keep trains running but it is likely that services on some lines will be affected on the evening before and morning after each strike between 7 May and 9 May, because many trains will not be in the right depots to start services the following day.      

Customers should also be aware of Network Rail’s engineering works which will take place this coming Early May Bank Holiday. Those customers planning to travel around Cambridge, Liverpool and between Birmingham Airport and Rugby/Leamington Spa should check their journeys before setting off.  

Special timetables will be available on National Rail Enquiries and journey planners by 1 May.  

A spokesperson for Rail Delivery Group, said: "We can only apologise to our customers for this wholly unnecessary strike action called by the ASLEF leadership which will sadly disrupt journeys once again. It will also inflict further damage on an industry that is receiving up to an additional £54m a week in taxpayer cash to keep services running, following the covid downturn.  

“While we are working with our industry partners to keep as many trains running as possible, unfortunately there will be reduced services between Monday 6 and Saturday 11 May. As the level of service will vary across the country, our advice is to check before you travel and follow the latest travel information.” 

Ticketing arrangements         

Customers with Advance, Anytime or Off-Peak tickets for travel between Tuesday 7 May and Thursday 9 May can instead use their tickets any time between Monday 6 May until Monday 13 May. The policy only applies to tickets purchased before the strikes were announced on 22 April.  

If the Advance ticket is for a train that is scheduled for a strike day, and that service is not cancelled, delayed or rescheduled, but a customer prefers not to travel, they should contact their ticket retailer.         

Customers with two Advance tickets (an outbound and a return), to be used as a return journey, may be able to get a fee-free refund or change of journey for any unused legs/tickets, if one (either) of the legs is scheduled for a strike day. Customers should check with their ticket retailer.         

Customers with season tickets (flexi, monthly or longer), who do not travel, can claim 100% compensation for the strike dates through Delay Repay for the strike dates of the train operator for which they hold their season ticket with.    

Customers can check on the National Rail Enquiries website or their rail operator’s website for further travel advice.