Train strikes hit FA Cup final and Beyoncé concert

Train strikes are causing caller disruption connected Saturday successful the 3rd walkout this week.

Mick Whelan, of obstruction drivers' national Aslef, apologised for immoderate inconvenience and said they did not privation to "disturb mean moving people".

But helium warned the strikes could proceed for years until a solution is found.

The authorities said it had offered a just and tenable wage connection and urged national leaders to "do the close thing".

This is the 3rd onslaught to impact bid services this week and comes connected the aforesaid time arsenic the FA Cup Final astatine Wembley, a Beyoncé performance astatine the Tottenham Hotspur stadium, a Test lucifer astatine Lord's Cricket Ground and the Epsom Derby.

Aslef, which represents bid drivers, is calling for a amended wage connection and wants the authorities to instrumentality action.

General caput Mr Whelan said: "I don't privation to beryllium doing this and my members bash not privation to beryllium losing wealth and bash not privation to beryllium connected strike."

Speaking to the BBC, helium added: "I haven't seen the transport curate since earlier Christmas."

Train drivers person not had a wage emergence for 4 years, helium said, adding that the national had lone received 2 "non-offers" from the government.

Asked if determination was a airy astatine the extremity of the tunnel, helium said determination was nary "at this infinitesimal successful time".

Speaking to Sky News earlier, Mr Whelan said the strikes could proceed for years, adding: "We are successful this if it takes america 4 years, 5 years, immoderate it is."

The Aslef national has rejected a two-year connection which would spot drivers get a backdated wage emergence of 4% for 2022 and a 4% summation this year.

Aslef members besides walked retired connected Wednesday and the RMT national held onslaught enactment connected Friday.

Some tourists from the US told the BBC connected Saturday that they had been forced to rent a car for $1,300 to get from London to Manchester to drawback a flight.

Taylor Haney said the household of 5 had brought bid tickets, but erstwhile they arrived astatine the presumption the level was closed.

"I wasn't truly expecting to walk that benignant of money, oregon thrust again, but we'll marque it," helium said.

Mr Haney, from Tennessee, said it was "tough" changing question arrangements with 3 children and helium wished the process had been "a spot smoother".

Although the affected bid operators are successful England, immoderate of their services tally into Scotland and Wales truthful journeys to those nations person besides been disrupted.

The Rail Delivery Group said passengers with beforehand tickets could beryllium refunded fee-free if the bid that the summons was booked for was cancelled, delayed oregon rescheduled.

A spokesperson for the Department for Transport said national leaders had coordinated the strikes to disrupt passengers successful a week of large events.

"Not contented with impacting the hundreds of thousands of radical who person looked guardant to these events each twelvemonth round, unions are besides targeting their ain members' pockets by forcing them to miss retired connected wage each clip they strike," it added.

The authorities urged national leaders to enactment the "fair and reasonable" wage connection to their members.