A train drivers union has announced a new strike date in the New Year that will affect passengers travelling between Scotland and England.

Aslef members will take action on Thursday, January 5, in a long-running dispute with train operating companies over pay.

The strike, at 15 companies across the UK, will affect Avanti West Coast services between Glasgow Central and London.

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The union said the strike will bring services to a halt and is necessary because “employers refuse to help their employees during this cost of living crisis”.

ScotRail services are not affected as the union has already agreed a deal with the publicly owned firm.

Mick Whelan, general secretary of Aslef, said “We don’t want to go on strike but the companies have pushed us into this place.

“They have not offered our members at these companies a penny, and these are people who have not had an increase since April 2019.

“That means they expect train drivers at these companies to take a real-terms pay cut, to work just as hard for considerably less, when inflation is running at north of 14%.”

Aslef members voted 93% in favour of a strike on a turnout of 85% which Mr Wheelan said: “shows just how angry and determined we are”.