Train services in Kent are facing major disruption again next month after train drivers announced another round of strikes.

Drivers at 16 rail companies intend to stage a fresh wave of walkouts in a long-running dispute with the government over pay.

The move threatens more travel chaos for passengers across the country - with the timing also coinciding with the school Easter holidays in many areas.

Members of the Aslef union plan to hold a rolling programme of one-day walkouts between April 5 and April 8.

On top of this will be a six-day ban on overtime in which staff will decline to work on rest days, which is expected to add to the disruption.

The industrial action follows six-days of rolling strikes that took place in December, which are said to have hit-hard the hospitality industry which was in the midst of one of its busiest periods of the year.

The union claims train drivers have not had a pay rise for five years – since April 2019.

Strikes will take place in April on the following dates at the following train operating companies:

Friday, April 5 at Avanti West Coast, East Midlands Railway, West Midlands Trains, and CrossCountry.

Saturday, April 6 at Chiltern, GWR, LNER, Northern, and TransPennine.

Monday, April 8 at c2c, Greater Anglia, GTR Great Northern Thameslink, Southeastern, Southern/Gatwick Express, South Western Railway main line and depot drivers, and SWR Island Line.

Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan said: “Last month, when we announced renewed mandates for industrial action, because under the Tories’ draconian anti-union laws we have to ballot our members every six months, we called on the train companies, and the government, to come to the table for meaningful talks to negotiate a new pay deal for train drivers who have not had an increase in salary since 2019.

“Our members voted overwhelmingly – yet again – for strike action.

“We have given the government every opportunity to come to the table but it is now clear they do not want to resolve this dispute. They are happy for it go on and on.”

London Underground drivers, who are members of Aslef, have also announced two strikes for April and May.

The 24-hour walkouts by tube drivers will take place on April 8 and May 4 after 98% of drivers balloted voted in favour of action.

Union members fear changes to their hours and already-agreed working conditions as Transport for London explores modernising ‘procedures and processes’ on the network.