BRITAIN’S train services were heavily disrupted during drivers’ 24-hour walkout today, ahead of RMT strikes taking place tomorrow. 

Speaking at a picket line in Euston station, Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan said he doesn’t see an end to the train drivers’ strike before he retires.

He said: “I flippantly said about a year ago that I hope to resolve this before I retire — well I go in two-and-a-bit years and I don’t.

“I want it resolved but I don’t see any light at the end of the tunnel.

“These people behind me do not want to be standing in the rain, they do not want to be losing money today but they are willing to fight for their futures until we get a resolution.”

The dispute started more than a year ago and remains deadlocked, with no talks planned and no sign of a breakthrough.

Today’s walkout saw 13 rail operators shut down all day.

Many other companies ran reduced timetables and while most of the disruption is in England — with Transport for Wales and ScotRail not affected by the dispute — the walkouts by drivers at long-distance operators also led to cancellations in Scotland and Wales.

On Saturday drivers will continue their overtime ban, alongside a strike by the larger RMT rail union, whose leader Mick Lynch said he welcomed a request from the Rail Delivery Group for talks next week, but a new offer would be needed to postpone action. 

Mr Whelan added: “This is purely a political response to the dispute.

“Only when the ministers take the reins off the train-operating companies will this get resolved.”

Union members and the public yesterday posted messages of solidarity for Aslef on the Strikemap website.

Matt Webb, president of Brighton and Hove District Trades Council, said the fight “for our UK rail network was not only important for passengers, but also to mitigate our reliance on cars, lorries and roads,” which he said increases CO2 emissions, air pollution and water pollution and “is causing catastrophic events across the world already.”

Robert Nisbet, spokesman for the Rail Delivery Group, which represents train operators and has proposed closing 974 ticket offices, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “The main problem here at the moment with Aslef is that they won’t accept a link to changing the way that the industry runs.”

The Department for Transport said: “Continued industrial action is disappointing and delays the reforms that would ultimately benefit passengers, rail workers and taxpayers.”