TRAIN drivers have voted overwhelmingly to accept a multi-year pay offer made by the new Labour government, ending a two-year dispute at 16 rail companies, their union said today.

Aslef said its members voted by 96 per cent in favour of a deal worth 15 per cent over three years and backdated to 2022, with a ballot turnout of 84 per cent.

The ballot result ends what Aslef called the longest train drivers’ strike in recent history, during which 13,000 drivers struck for 18 days.

Aslef had accused the previous Conservative government of “sitting on its hands” and refusing to negotiate.

General secretary Mick Whelan said: “The strength and resilience and determination shown by train drivers to protect their hard-won and paid-for terms and conditions against the political piracy of an inept and destructive Tory government has prevailed.

“It was not a fight we sought, or wanted.

“All we sought after five years without a pay rise — working for private companies who, throughout that period, declared millions of pounds in profits and dividends to shareholders — was a dent in the cost of living.”

Mr Whelan said the union was grateful for Transport Secretary Louise Haigh and the Labour government for seeking “an equitable way forward” for all.

“Now we will get back to our day job of seeking a green, well-invested, vertically integrated and safe public railway,” he said.

Ms Haigh said the result was an “important step towards fixing our railways and getting the country moving again.”

A spokesperson for the Rail Delivery Group said it welcomed the resolution to the dispute.