More strike misery as union announces January 5 train driver walkout

Train drivers at 15 rail companies are to stage a fresh strike on January 5 in a long-running dispute over pay, union Aslef announced.The industrial action will grind affected services “to a halt”, the union warns, just as commuters return to work following the Christmas and New Year break.It comes after members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union at Network Rail and 14 train operators planned to strike on January 3, 4, 6 and 7, so services are set to be crippled for a week.Aslef had balloted members earlier this month and 93 per cent voted yes to taking industrial action.