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Southern rail passengers face two days of travel chaos due to strike Southern rail passengers face two days of travel chaos due to strike
(about 1 hour later)
Passengers on one of Britain’s busiest commuter railways face two days of disruption due to a strike by conductors on Southern trains. Passengers on some of Britain’s busiest commuter rail routes face two days of disruption due to a strike by conductors on Southern trains.
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union will take action for 24 hours starting at 11am on Tuesday, a time Southern said was designed to cause maximum disruption to its services, including commuter routes into London Victoria. Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union will take action for 24 hours starting at 11am on Tuesday. Southern said this time was designed to cause maximum disruption to its services, including commuter routes into London Victoria.
Passengers have been warned to expect queues, crowding and limited trains on routes including London to Brighton, with no early morning or evening trains running along the south coast. No trains will run at all on Tuesday or Wednesday to some destinations, including Horsham, Hastings and Tonbridge, although Southern’s trains within London will operate as usual. Passengers have been warned to expect queues, crowding and limited trains on lines including London to Brighton, with no early morning or evening trains along the south coast. No services will run at all on Tuesday or Wednesday to some destinations, including Horsham, Hastings and Tonbridge, although Southern trains within London will operate as usual.
The RMT said the strike was about safety in the face of company cost cuts, with Southern planning to change the roles of conductors, or guards, on its trains. Southern said the action was “totally unnecessary” and added the union had refused to engage in talks. RMT said the strike was about safety in the face of company cost cuts, with Southern planning to change the roles of conductors, or guards, on its trains. Southern said the action was “totally unnecessary” and that the union had refused to engage in talks.
The dispute centres on proposals for driver-only operation, which would remove responsibility for opening and closing train doors from conductors, leaving them to collect revenue on board. Dyan Crowther, chief operating officer of Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), the franchise that includes Southern as well as the Gatwick Express and Thameslink branded trains, said there would be no job losses and denied there was any risk to safety in the firm’s plans. The dispute centres on proposals for driver-only operation, which would remove responsibility for opening and closing train doors from conductors, leaving them to collect revenue on board. Dyan Crowther, the chief operating officer of Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), the franchise that includes Southern as well as Gatwick Express and Thameslink, said there would be no job losses and denied that there was any risk to safety in the plans.
Crowther said: “We absolutely refute that driver-only operation is unsafe: it’s a method that has been familiar to the network for 30 years. We’re introducing a new train fleet and technology to evolve the role of the conductor on board: we want to free the conductor from doing the door duties so they can finish the transactions. The main driving reason is customer service.” “We absolutely refute that driver-only operation is unsafe: it’s a method that has been familiar to the network for 30 years,” she said. “We’re introducing a new train fleet and technology to evolve the role of the conductor on board: we want to free the conductor from doing the door duties so they can finish the transactions. The main driving reason is customer service.”
Crowther added that punctuality could improve during times of disruption, as trains currently require two trained staff with knowledge of specific routes, while the newly designated “onboard supervisor” could work around the network. Crowther added that punctuality could improve during times of disruption, as trains currently require two trained staff with knowledge of specific routes, while the newly designated “on board supervisor” could work around the network.
However, the RMT said the company was taking a “lethal gamble” in putting profits before public safety. Mick Cash, general secretary, said: “Let us be crystal clear – this dispute is about safety and the safety critical role of the guards on Southern trains. The company, with an eye on ever-fatter profits, is prepared to axe the guards on some of the most overcrowded and potentially dangerous services in Britain so that they can squeeze every last penny out of their passengers regardless of the consequences. However, RMT said the company was taking a “lethal gamble” in putting profits before public safety. Mick Cash, the union’s general secretary, said: “Let us be crystal clear – this dispute is about safety and the safety critical role of the guards on Southern trains. The company, with an eye on ever fatter profits, is prepared to axe the guards on some of the most overcrowded and potentially dangerous services in Britain so that they can squeeze every last penny out of their passengers, regardless of the consequences.
“We urge the public once again to support their rail workers. Our job is your safety.”“We urge the public once again to support their rail workers. Our job is your safety.”
Driver-only operation has become a highly contentious issue , despite its prevalence on many routes. The RMT and drivers’ union Aslef, have signed a concordat to stop it spreading further in any form. Driver-only operation has become a highly contentious issue, despite its prevalence on many routes. RMT and drivers’ union Aslef have signed a concordat aimed at stopping it spreading further in any form.
GTR won an injunction against Aslef in the high court last Friday preventing the union from telling drivers to refuse to work on its new, longer 12-carriage Gatwick Express trains without a conductor. The drivers on the first two expanded services had refused to carry passengers on board, as Aslef said it breached an agreement over the extent of driver-only operation. GTR won an injunction against Aslef in the high court last week preventing the union from telling drivers to refuse to work on its new, longer 12-carriage Gatwick Express trains without a conductor. The drivers on the first two expanded services had refused to carry passengers, as Aslef said it breached an agreement over the extent of driver-only operation.
Crowther said: “We are simply asking our drivers to drive a slightly longer train – in contract law that is a reasonable request. For Aslef to say they cannot because they don’t have an agreement is an interesting point, but in employment law it’s irrelevant.” Crowther said: “We are simply asking our drivers to drive a slightly longer train – in contract law, that is a reasonable request. For Aslef to say they cannot because they don’t have an agreement is an interesting point, but in employment law, it’s irrelevant.”
Aslef is balloting its members for a strike on the Gatwick Express. Aslef is balloting its members for a strike on Gatwick Express.
While GTR and unions say they are available for talks, no immediate resolution seems apparent on the issue. Southern passengers will face more misery in May when two 24-hour strikes over four days will severely affect its services from Tuesday 10 May for the rest of the week. While GTR and unions say they are available for talks, no immediate resolution on the issue seems apparent. Southern passengers are set to face more misery in May, with two 24-hour strikes over four days from Tuesday 10 May.
GTR said it had no idea how much the strike would cost the firm and would operate as many trains as possible using trained volunteer staff from management and head offices. GTR said it had no idea how much the strike would cost the company and that it would operate as many trains as possible using trained volunteer staff from management and head offices.
However, politicians criticised Southern for not doing enough. The Liberal Democrat transport spokeswoman, Lady Randerson, said: “Given the advance notice of this strike, there is a clear sense of indifference from Southern towards its customers that no alternative methods of transport provision is being put on to minimise inconvenience.” However, politicians criticised Southern for not doing enough. The Liberal Democrat transport spokeswoman, Lady Randerson, said: “Given the advance notice of this strike, there is a clear sense of indifference from Southern towards its customers that no alternative methods of transport provision are being put on to minimise inconvenience.”
She called on Southern, the government and trade unions to commit to further discussions, and added: “For safety reasons, Southern must review their plans to scrap conductors on trains and reverse plans to reduce ticket office opening hours until they offer a full smart ticketing system accessible for every passenger.” She called on Southern, the government and unions to commit to further discussions, adding: “For safety reasons, Southern must review their plans to scrap conductors on trains and reverse plans to reduce ticket office opening hours until they offer a full smart ticketing system accessible for every passenger.”