Train operating companies have offered drivers a two-year pay deal in a bid to resolve long-running strike action.

The Rail Delivery Group (RDG) said that its offer was a “landmark outline proposal” that would deliver improved services to passengers as well as a pay 'increase' of 4% for 2022 and another 4% for 2023.

The group has also committed to a policy of no compulsory redundancies until at least March 31, 2024.

It said in a statement: “The offer is contingent on common sense, vital and long overdue changes to working arrangements across the industry.

“Many of these are already best practice in parts of the railway and are designed to avoid disruptive gaps in services.

“If accepted, the proposal would mean the base salary for the average driver would increase from £60,000, to almost £65,000 by the end of 2023.”

However, Aslef (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen), which represents the train drivers, said it had not seen the offer yet.

Steve Montgomery, chairman of the RDG, said: “This is a fair and affordable offer in challenging times, providing a significant uplift in salary for train drivers while bringing in common-sense and long-overdue reforms that would drive up reliability for passengers and allow the railway to adapt to changed travel patterns.

“With taxpayers still funding up to an extra £175 million a month to make up the shortfall in revenue post-Covid, these changes are also vital for us to be able to fund the pay rise our people deserve.

“Instead of staging yet more damaging strike action and holding back changes that will improve services, we urge Aslef to work with us to bring an end to the dispute for our people, our passengers and the future of Britain’s railways.”

The RDG said the deal includes proposed changes that would commit drivers who are scheduled to work on a Sunday to work that day unless suitable cover can be found.

The group said: “The change is vital in a post-Covid world which has seen leisure travel – currently at 116% of pre-Covid levels on Sundays – recover far more strongly than commuter and business travel."

The RDG is also proposing changes to reduce the time it takes to train drivers through new technologies.

The train and rail group claims to have emailed the offer to Aslef mid-afternoon.