TRAIN drivers have announced fresh strikes in their long-running pay dispute that will coincide with the Tories’ annual conference and hit services at 16 privateer rail companies.

Drivers’ union Aslef accused rail operators today of making proposals on pay that they knew would be rejected.

Strikes will take place on Saturday September 30, the day before the conference, and Wednesday October 4, the final day of the event.

The union will also implement an overtime ban across the UK rail network on Friday September 29 and from Monday to Friday October 2 to 5.

Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan asked where Transport Secretary Mark Harper was, likening him to “Where’s Wally?” as the union last met him in December.

Mr Whelan said the strike would paralyse all services and the overtime ban would cause serious disruption.

Mr Whelan said: “While we regret having to take this action — we don’t want to lose a day’s pay, or disrupt passengers, as they try to travel by train — the government and the employers have forced us into this position.

“Our members have not now had a pay rise for four years — since 2019 — and that’s not right when prices have soared in that time. 

“Train drivers, perfectly reasonably, want to be able to buy now what they could buy four years ago.”

He said a pay proposal made by operators was “a land grab for all our terms and conditions” and that it “was made in the full knowledge that it couldn’t — and wouldn’t — be accepted.”

He called on Mr Harper and transport minister Huw Merriman “to come to the negotiating table and negotiate an end to this dispute with us.”

In the last 12 months, Aslef has reached agreements with 14 operators including companies in Scotland and Wales, which are beyond the control of the Westminster government.

“This is a dispute in England made at Westminster by the Tory government,” he said.

Train drivers have taken 12 days of strike action during the 14-month dispute.

The Rail Delivery Group said: “We want to give our staff a pay increase, but it has always been linked to implementing necessary, sensible reforms that would enhance services for our passengers.”

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “The government has facilitated fair and reasonable offers to both RMT and Aslef.

“These strikes will not prevent the need for essential workplace reforms.”