More rail misery for passengers

Rail passengers were today facing another weekend of misery on the tracks as a result of a pay dispute between operator London Midland and its drivers.

Many services in the region due to run today were cancelled, further disruption is expected tomorrow and Sunday's services have been widely affected, with passengers advised not to travel unless necessary.

Services cancelled today included trains due to run from Wolverhampton to Walsall via Coseley, Tipton, Dudley Port and Smethwick Galton Bridge.

The frequency of trains running between Birmingham and London was also reduced.

London Midland said the demands of train drivers' union Aslef to restore a higher rate of pay on Sundays were "unrealistic".

But many drivers are now refusing to work any overtime at all.

The dispute arose when train drivers, who are paid a basic salary of around £40,000, had their overtime pay cut.

They were being paid double time to volunteer to work Sundays but London Midland reduced this to time and a half.

London Midland director of operations Wallace Weatherill, said: "We apologise to our passengers for the continued impact of the ongoing dispute with Aslef. We remain committed to negotiating a reasonable set of conditions with the union."

A similar scale of disruption to that being experienced today is expected again tomorrow. On Sunday, services will run on just three of the company's routes, as happened last weekend.

Trains will only run between Milton Keynes and London Euston, from Blake Street in Sutton Coldfield to Redditch via Birmingham and from Stourbridge Town to Stourbridge Junction.

All other services run by the company are expected to be cancelled, including all trains between Wolverhampton and Birmingham. Services from Birmingham to Rowley Regis, Stourbridge and Kidderminster will also not run.

Speaking at the start of the industrial action, Aslef general secretary Keith Norman said: "London Midland appears to be looking for a scapegoat for its own incompetence. I don't see what other reaction the company could expect. They cut the rate of pay and then they are surprised when no one snatches their hand off."

See www.londonmidland.com or call 08457 48 49 50 about services.