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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jul/21/southern-passengers-confront-rail-boss-service-problems-victoria-station
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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Southern passengers confront rail boss over service problems | Southern passengers confront rail boss over service problems |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| Commuters have met the chief executive of train operator Southern at London Victoria station to express their frustration with its service. | Commuters have met the chief executive of train operator Southern at London Victoria station to express their frustration with its service. |
| Charles Horton, who heads Southern’s parent company, Govia Thameslink Railway, faced anger from passengers on Thursday morning at a “meet the managers” event. | Charles Horton, who heads Southern’s parent company, Govia Thameslink Railway, faced anger from passengers on Thursday morning at a “meet the managers” event. |
| There have been months of disruption on Southern routes, which are some of the busiest in the country, and include lines between London and the south coast, East Sussex, West Sussex and Surrey. | There have been months of disruption on Southern routes, which are some of the busiest in the country, and include lines between London and the south coast, East Sussex, West Sussex and Surrey. |
| Horton has also come under pressure from MPs and met the new rail minister, Paul Maynard, to discuss the problems on Monday. Claire Perry stepped down as rail minister last week. | Horton has also come under pressure from MPs and met the new rail minister, Paul Maynard, to discuss the problems on Monday. Claire Perry stepped down as rail minister last week. |
| Passengers who attended the event had been very honest, Horton said, and he had apologised to many of them. “They reflected their frustration with the service over the last few weeks,” he said. “Our customers are very reasonable and very patient.” | Passengers who attended the event had been very honest, Horton said, and he had apologised to many of them. “They reflected their frustration with the service over the last few weeks,” he said. “Our customers are very reasonable and very patient.” |
| Earlier this month, Southern cancelled 341 trains a day when it introduced an emergency timetable aimed at providing a more reliable service. | Earlier this month, Southern cancelled 341 trains a day when it introduced an emergency timetable aimed at providing a more reliable service. |
| Diana Vetesse, 52, from Billingshurst, West Sussex, was among those who confronted Horton, complaining that delays to the service had meant she once missed her son’s nativity play. “I’m generally frustrated and I was saying there’s an occasion where I did not manage to get home,” she said. | Diana Vetesse, 52, from Billingshurst, West Sussex, was among those who confronted Horton, complaining that delays to the service had meant she once missed her son’s nativity play. “I’m generally frustrated and I was saying there’s an occasion where I did not manage to get home,” she said. |
| “They were very nice [at the event] and actually for me, the trains have been working better, but overall I think it’s appalling. We are paying so much for tickets and it’s so unreliable.” | “They were very nice [at the event] and actually for me, the trains have been working better, but overall I think it’s appalling. We are paying so much for tickets and it’s so unreliable.” |
| Rona Hunnisett, 40, a charity worker who commutes from Brighton to London Victoria every day, attended the event on her way to work but was left shaking her head after meeting a manager responsible for quality control. | Rona Hunnisett, 40, a charity worker who commutes from Brighton to London Victoria every day, attended the event on her way to work but was left shaking her head after meeting a manager responsible for quality control. |
| She said that when she asked for a definitive time by when services would improve, she only received “waffle and more evasion”. “I’m sick of the constant excuses and blame,” she said. “It’s never their fault, it’s always somebody else’s fault.” | She said that when she asked for a definitive time by when services would improve, she only received “waffle and more evasion”. “I’m sick of the constant excuses and blame,” she said. “It’s never their fault, it’s always somebody else’s fault.” |
| Hunnisett said she felt “physically scared for the first time in 20 years of commuting” on Monday night during severe congestion at Brighton station. | Hunnisett said she felt “physically scared for the first time in 20 years of commuting” on Monday night during severe congestion at Brighton station. |
| “I pay them £4,000 a year for a service and I don’t get it,” she said. “I don’t think there is any excuse in this day and age to take that kind of money and not provide a service or a meaningful compensation package.” | “I pay them £4,000 a year for a service and I don’t get it,” she said. “I don’t think there is any excuse in this day and age to take that kind of money and not provide a service or a meaningful compensation package.” |
| Navneet Jha, 32, an IT contractor who commutes from South Croydon to London Victoria, claimed Southern was “exploiting” passengers by making the refund process for delays cumbersome and running trains with fewer carriages than normal, which means people are left on platforms, unable to board. | Navneet Jha, 32, an IT contractor who commutes from South Croydon to London Victoria, claimed Southern was “exploiting” passengers by making the refund process for delays cumbersome and running trains with fewer carriages than normal, which means people are left on platforms, unable to board. |
| He said he was told by a Southern manager that “all the problems will go in a month”. But following the meeting, he said: “I highly doubt that.” | He said he was told by a Southern manager that “all the problems will go in a month”. But following the meeting, he said: “I highly doubt that.” |
| Jha described his first five and a half years of commuting on Southern trains as pleasant but said of the past six months: “Things have gone haywire.” | Jha described his first five and a half years of commuting on Southern trains as pleasant but said of the past six months: “Things have gone haywire.” |