London Marathon runners hit by train strike on crucial travel day

LONDON Marathon runners from Scotland and the North East face a struggle to get to the race after train drivers announced a fresh strike targeting a crucial travel day.

Train drivers’ union Aslef said members working for LNER will strike on Saturday April 20 and refuse to work non-contractual overtime between Friday April 19 and Sunday April 21. The strike will leave some northern runners scrambling for alternative routes to reach the marathon, which takes place on Sunday and starts at 9.30am.

News of the race disruption came at the start of a full weekend of Aslef strikes and overtime bans.

About 20,000 drivers are walking out of 16 train companies until Monday, with union bosses saying their members have not had a pay rise in five years. Yesterday saw strikes triggering train

‘Why can’t I book a train from London to Edinburgh on April 21 please?’

cancellations across Avanti West Coast, East Midlands Railway, West Midlands Railway and LNWR. Today will see GWR, LNER, Northern, Chiltern and Transpennine Express services subject to disruption and cancellations.

The London Marathon starts on the morning of Sunday April 21.

Train bosses have suspended ticket sales for the marathon weekend, a move they said was necessary while they figured out whether enough staff would be available to run some trains.

One runner posted on X, formerly Twitter, asking LNER: “Why can’t I book a train from London to Edinburgh on April 21 please?”

An LNER spokesman said: “Following the announcement of the ASLEF strike, tickets for LNER services on Saturday 20 April are temporarily off-sale while we work out the impact this action will have on our timetable.”

Organisers of the race did not respond to a request for comment.