Southern Railway confirms it will cut 341 trains a day in emergency timetable

Southern: The company is cancelling services
Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire
Mark Chandler5 July 2016

Crisis-hit rail company Southern has announced it will cut 341 trains a day as part of a revised timetable.

The troubled train operator was given permission by the Government yesterday to cancel 350 trains a day as part of an emergency timetable.

Southern’s temporary weekday schedule will start next Monday after weeks of delays and cancellations due to industrial action and staff shortages.

It said the aim was to reduce the impact on passengers and staff of "unpredictable and late notice" cancellations caused by "unprecedented" levels of train crew sickness and unwillingness among others to work overtime.

The operator, run by Govia Thameslink (GTR), said it was also taking action to "encourage staff back to work" and was working with the Government to introduce more generous passenger compensation.

Southern's passenger services director Alex Foulds said: "We are introducing this temporary weekday revised timetable with reluctance but it is the best thing we can do for our passengers who have been suffering daily cancellations ever since this dispute with the RMT began, and for which we are sincerely sorry.

"It should give the majority of our passengers a better, more consistent service that they can plan around.

"Whilst our first priority is our passengers, we also understand that this has been a difficult time for our staff. Conductors already know that their jobs are guaranteed, that there will be no reduction in salary and that the independent rail safety body has confirmed our plans are safe.

"Now, after listening to our staff, we have also decided to restore leisure travel benefits. All of this, we believe, should help our staff feel able to return to work and so reduce the issues causing the current high level of train cancellations."

Changes include the suspension of Southern's West London Line services between Milton Keynes and Clapham Junction, reductions in service on the Coastway routes, buses replacing most trains between Seaford and Lewes, and a reduced off-peak service between Tonbridge and Redhill where passengers for Victoria will need to change trains.

Southern said the number of trains being cancelled is broadly similar to those being cancelled at the moment.

But Mick Cash, leader of the RMT, said: "This is crisis management on Britain's biggest rail franchise, a franchise that is now in terminal meltdown.

"The continuing attempt to blame this gross mismanagement on the frontline staff is a cynical and cowardly ploy by a company who have chosen to wage war on their passengers and workforce alike.

"The managers at GTR pay themselves fat salaries and bonuses in reward for failure on an epic scale while the staff on the trains and platforms are left to take the blame for the bosses' incompetence.

"This emergency timetable enables Govia to cancel 15 per cent of their trains and rig their appalling performance figures to protect their profits.

"Instead of conniving with this scandal, the Government should fire GTR and immediately instruct the legal, public sector fall-back operation to take over."

Additional reporting by the Press Association.

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