Southern announces no trains on ‘vast majority’ of rail network on Monday, April 8, due to strike action

The company said on X at 4pm on Sunday, April 7: “Tomorrow, 8 April: NO TRAINS, on the vast majority of the network. 9 April: Late start up and amended timetable with fewer services.”

Southern are now advising people to check nationalrail.co.uk before they travel.

Southern said the disruption is because Monday, April 8, is a strike day that has been organised by the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF).

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A statement on the ASLEF website said: “Train drivers who are members of ASLEF, the train drivers’ trade union, will take part in another programme of rolling one-day strikes, coupled with a six-day overtime ban, as we increase the pressure on 16 intransigent train companies – and the tone-deaf Tory government that stands behind them – to get train drivers, who have now not had a pay rise for five years, since April 2019, the salary increase they deserve.

“Members will walk out at Avanti West Coast, East Midlands Railway, West Midlands Trains, and CrossCountry on Friday 5 April; at Chiltern, GWR, LNER, Northern, and TransPennine Trains on Saturday 6 April; and at c2c, Greater Anglia, GTR Great Northern Thameslink, Southeastern, Southern/Gatwick Express, South Western Railway main line and depot drivers, and SWR Island Line on Monday 8 April.”

“Members will also refuse to work their rest days from Thursday 4 to Saturday 6 April and from Monday 8 to Tuesday 9 April.”

Southern said there will be very limited shuttles calling at: London Victoria and Gatwick Airport only; London St Pancras, Luton Airport Parkway and Luton only; and London King’s Cross and Cambridge only.