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| Train drivers' strike called off | |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A train strike which threatened to cripple services across southern England has been called off. | A train strike which threatened to cripple services across southern England has been called off. |
| Hundreds of drivers for South West Trains (SWT) were planning two 24-hour walkouts on Friday and Monday. | Hundreds of drivers for South West Trains (SWT) were planning two 24-hour walkouts on Friday and Monday. |
| But the union Aslef suspended the industrial action following talks with the company on Thursday. | But the union Aslef suspended the industrial action following talks with the company on Thursday. |
| The dispute began over drivers' use of taxis, but escalated when SWT used managers to drive trains during a previous strike. | The dispute began over drivers' use of taxis, but escalated when SWT used managers to drive trains during a previous strike. |
| An Aslef spokesman said: "We have resolved our differences and we look forward to better industrial relations in the future." | |
| We are delighted that we will be able to offer passengers a normal service SWT spokesman | |
| During the last walkout on 29 August, which involved 900 drivers, many people took the day off work or drove in to avoid the trains. | During the last walkout on 29 August, which involved 900 drivers, many people took the day off work or drove in to avoid the trains. |
| Tens of thousands of commuters take SWT services into London's Waterloo station on week days during rush hour. | Tens of thousands of commuters take SWT services into London's Waterloo station on week days during rush hour. |
| The dispute started earlier this year when there was a disagreement involving Waterloo-based drivers over the use of taxis to and from work. | The dispute started earlier this year when there was a disagreement involving Waterloo-based drivers over the use of taxis to and from work. |
| During a strike managers were used to drive trains but Aslef said SWT contravened an agreement they would only drive trains in cases of health and safety or the possibility of civil unrest. | During a strike managers were used to drive trains but Aslef said SWT contravened an agreement they would only drive trains in cases of health and safety or the possibility of civil unrest. |
| SWT usually runs 1,700 trains every weekday between Waterloo and areas including Bristol, Plymouth, Reading, Surrey, Weymouth and Brighton. | SWT usually runs 1,700 trains every weekday between Waterloo and areas including Bristol, Plymouth, Reading, Surrey, Weymouth and Brighton. |
| Following Thursday's announcement, an SWT spokesman said: "We are delighted that we will be able to offer passengers a normal service." |