RAIL services will be severely disrupted due to another strike by train drivers.

In Essex, the strike is hitting Greater Anglia, with disruptions expected to parts of the rail network today, on Saturday, and into tomorrow morning, Sunday.

It is the latest outbreak of industrial unrest in the industry, with members of the drivers union Aslef at seven train operators will walk out for 24 hours over pay.

The Rail Delivery Group said the industrial action has been timed to coincide with the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and the start of the new season for most English football league clubs.

Jamie Burles, Greater Anglia managing director said: “We are asking people to avoid travelling with us because we are only able to run a heavily reduced service, with fewer trains and so fewer seats available.

“We understand how frustrated our customers feel about their travel plans being disrupted, especially when there are so many events going on.

“We are very sorry for the inconvenience disruption due to strikes causes our customers.”

The strikes are also expected to hit other services, including Arriva Rail London, Great Western, Hull Trains, LNER, Southeastern and West Midlands Trains.

Steve Montgomery, chairman of the Rail Delivery Group, said: “We’re really disappointed that the Aslef leadership has decided to impose yet more uncertainty and disruption for passengers and businesses in a week which has already seen a strike by the RMT.

“Like any service or business, we must move with the times and cannot continue to ask taxpayers or passengers for more money when we should instead respond to the huge changes in travel behaviour post Covid.

“By making these necessary reforms such ending the reliance on volunteer working at weekend, we improve punctuality, have more resilient Sunday services and use those savings to give our people a pay rise which has always been what we want to do.

“Further strikes will see our people out of pocket and mean less money to fund a pay rise, so we urge the Aslef leadership to resume talks so we can reach a deal that is fair to staff and taxpayers, and which secures a bright, long-term future of our railway.”

Further strikes are also planned next month by Aslef and the RMT in the deadlocked row over pay, jobs and conditions.

For more information on travel advice and affected services to Greater Anglia today, visit HERE.