Weekend strikes by LNER train drivers called off

LNER, which operates services between Edinburgh and London on the East Coast Mainline, had already reduced its services on Saturday in advance strikes starting. It is not yet known if fewer trains will still run this weekend.

The company, which is run by the government, operates trains to and from London King’s Cross station and also through major cities including Newcastle, York and Durham.

Aslef originally announced the strikes earlier this month, with the first action scheduled to take place from this weekend, and every following one until 10 November.

The dispute between LNER and Aslef was separate to the long-running row over pay between drivers and all 16 train companies in England, which could soon be resolved following a new pay offer.

The union accused LNER of “breaking agreements” on working practices, which officials said included driver managers driving trains and “improper use” of overtime working.

Mick Whelan, general secretary of Aslef, said the union was “pleased to have finally resolved this long-standing issue with LNER’s abuse of our agreements”.

He said the union would “continue to campaign for a fully-staffed railway that does not rely on excessive use of driver overtime.”

The BBC has contacted both LNER and the Department for Transport for comment.