Only 40 LNER intercity rail services to run on Saturday as train drivers strike

Members of the Aslef union will take industrial action for 24 hours on 20 April – and also ban overtime during the weekend – in a dispute over terms and conditions, separate to the wider pay row that has led to strikes at all national rail operators across England.

The state-owned company, which runs the track and infrastructure, has offered a 3.5% pay rise to its employees, including signallers and maintenance workers.

The RMT said it had rejected the offer, maintaining that it fell below the standard benchmark for inflation used in rail pay negotiations – the November retail prices index figure – which was 5.3%.

The union’s general secretary, Mick Lynch, said: “Network Rail is once again making an offer that represents a cut in living standards as pay is not keeping up with the rising costs of rent, mortgages, energy, food and other essentials.

A Network Rail spokesperson said it had put forward a 3.5% unconditional offer with other benefits that was “fair and represents a significant increase given current and forecast rates of inflation … We expect negotiations to continue.”

It is understood that even though Network Rail has more control of its budget than train operating companies – which have not been able to offer drivers more money – the organisation is still under pressure to keep pay rises down in line with the wider public sector.