Fresh talks between the government and the union representing train drivers in a bid to resolve their long-running pay dispute have been described as “constructive”.
The meeting at the Department for Transport (DfT) on Tuesday will be followed by further talks in the coming weeks.
The two sides met after months of stalemate under the Conservatives in the two-year row over pay, terms and conditions.
The Rail Delivery Group, which represents train companies involved in the row, was not invited to attend Tuesday’s meeting.
Aslef members have taken 18 days of strikes since the dispute started, causing huge disruption to passengers.
Mick Whelan, general secretary of Aslef, described the talks as “constructive”, adding that with a new government in place, he hopes there can be a positive resolution that works for train drivers, whom he said have not had an increase in salary for five years.
Mr Whelan said the Conservative government and its transport ministers had “put the brakes” on a deal, adding: “Now, with a new Secretary of State for Transport in place, I hope, and think, we can, and will, get a deal done.”
It was the first meeting between the union and the transport department since April last year.
Previous talks have involved the Rail Delivery Group.
Transport Secretary Louise Haigh said in a recent message on X, formerly Twitter: “Fourteen years without a workforce strategy has left our railways understaffed, reliant on voluntary working and lurching from one crisis to the next. Our urgent priority is to reset workforce relations and put passengers first.”
A DfT spokesperson said: “The Transport Secretary has been clear she wants to reset industrial relations for the benefit of passengers and the workforce.
“Today officials resumed talks with Aslef, holding a constructive meeting as we look to resolve this long-running dispute.
“Further conversations will be held in the coming weeks.”
