Train drivers at five rail operators have voted to continue taking strike action for six months in the long running pay row – bringing more misery for passengers in York.

Operators affected by the Aslef union walkouts include Northern, which runs services from York to Leeds, and TransPennine, whose services run from York to cities including Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool, and to Malton and Scarborough.

Unions involved in disputes must reballot their members every six months on continuing with industrial action.

Aslef members at Northern voted by 93 per cent to continue striking and by 95 per cent on TransPennine Express trains.

The turnout for ballots across all operators was at least 70 per cent.

Mick Whelan, general secretary of Aslef said: “These results show – yet again – a clear rejection by train drivers of the ridiculous offer put to us in April last year by the Rail Delivery Group on behalf of the train operating companies with whom we are in dispute.

“The RDG knew the offer would be rejected because we had told them that a land grab for all the terms and conditions we have negotiated over the years would be unacceptable.

York Press: Mick Whelan, general secretary of Aslef Mick Whelan, general secretary of Aslef  (Image: Lucy North/PA)

“Since then our members have voted, time and again, for strikes. That’s why Mark Harper, the Transport Secretary, is being disingenuous when he says that offer should have been put to members.

“Drivers obviously wouldn’t vote for industrial action, again and again and again, if they thought that was a good offer. They don’t.

“That offer was dead in the water in April last year – and I think Mr Harper knows that.”

Drivers at Northern and LNER to stage further action in separate row

Meanwhile, train drivers at Northern and LNER are to stage a one-day strike and ban overtime for three days in a separate row to the national pay dispute.

Members of Aslef at the two operators will walk out on Friday, March 1, and ban overtime from Thursday, February 29.

The union says agreements are not being adhered to.

Mr Whelan said: “We are fed up to the back teeth with the bad faith shown, day after day, week after week, and month after month by these two companies.

“We always stick to agreements which we make. These companies think they can break agreements – which they freely enter into – whenever it suits them.

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“This is a shot across their bows and a sign of things to come.

“They need to stop what they are doing, start to behave properly and honourably, because their drivers – our members – are no longer prepared to be treated like this.”

He added the union remained open and willing to talk about a revised offer.

“That’s why we are asking the Secretary of State for Transport, or the Rail Minister Huw Merriman, to come and meet us,” he said.

A spokesperson for the Rail Delivery Group said: “We want to give our people a pay rise, but the Aslef leadership need to recognise that in an industry where taxpayers are continuing to contribute an extra £54 million a week to keep services running post-Covid, any pay rise must be fair and sustainable.

“Instead of staging more damaging industrial action which will continue to result in huge disruption for our customers and staff, we call on the Aslef leadership to work with us to resolve this dispute and deliver a fair deal which makes the changes needed to make services more reliable and punctual and secure a bright, long-term future for our people.”

A Department of Transport spokesperson said: “Aslef is the only rail union continuing to strike.

“The Transport Secretary and rail minister have already facilitated talks to put this offer on the table – one which would take train drivers’ average salaries from £60,000 up to £65,000.

“A decision to extend a strike mandate is not the same as a vote on this offer. Aslef need to do the right thing and put it directly to their members to resolve the dispute like all other rail unions have.”