THE government has condemned the decision by rail workers to “seek to cause further misery to passengers” after voting in favour of industrial action.

Members of the drivers union Aslef at eight train companies, including Great Western and Southeastern, voted overwhelmingly to strike in an ongoing pay dispute.

The decision threatens to cause further travel chaos for train passengers and commuters over the summer - a month after most of the rail network was brought to a halt by industrial action by the RMT union.

It comes just days after RMT workers at Govia Thameslink Railway, which operates Southern and Thameslink services, also backed strike action.

Strike action by Aslef could see disruption to services from Brighton to other parts of western Sussex, as well as trains from Hastings - but no strike dates have yet been announced.

A spokeswoman for the Department for Transport described the news as “disappointing”.

She said: “Rather than commit to serious dialogue with the industry, Aslef are first seeking to cause further misery to passengers by joining others in disrupting the rail network.

“Train drivers they represent earn, on average, just under £60,000 per year - more than twice the UK median salary and significantly more than the very workers who will be most impacted by these strikes.

“Our railway is in desperate need of modernisation to make it work better for passengers and be financially sustainable for the long term. We urge the union bosses to reconsider and work with its employers, not against them, to agree a new way forward.”

The Argus: Brighton station was left almost empty after strike action paralysed train services last monthBrighton station was left almost empty after strike action paralysed train services last month

General secretary of Aslef Mike Whelan said that strike action is always a “last resort” option and that members had been “forced into this position by the companies driven by the government”.

He said: “Many of our members - who were the men and women who moved key workers and goods around the country during the pandemic - have not had a pay rise since 2019.

“With inflation running at north of ten per cent, that means those drivers have had a real-terms pay cut over the last three years.

“It is not unreasonable to ask your employer to make sure you’re not worse off for three years in a row.”

The Rail Delivery Group, a membership body of passenger and freight rail firms, as well as Network Rail, have urged union bosses to continue talks to avoid disruption.

A spokesman for the group said: “We want to see rail unions engage with train operators over the reforms needed to secure a bright long-term future for the industry, including working with Aslef to deliver the more punctual, reliable services we know passengers care about.

“Instead of causing further disruption to passengers and businesses, we urge the Aslef leadership to continue talks.”