Southern Rail strike: ‘Business as usual’, say hardened commuters as misery continues with walkout

Deserted: Victoria Station at rush hour
Alex Lentati

Southern Rail commuters today described the misery of cancellations, delays and overcrowded trains caused by the RMT strike as ”business as usual”.

As the five-day walkout entered its second day, many customers have made alternative arrangements to avoid the havoc.

The franchise is running just 60 per cent of normal services with hundreds of cancellations on 15 routes as the industrial dispute over driver-only trains rages on.

At Victoria station last night, the usually packed rush-hour platforms were like a “ghost town” as regular passengers abandoned their normal routes home.

Andrew Ley, 26, a physiologist at the Royal Brompton Hospital, whose commute from Purley Oaks to Victoria should take 30 minutes, said: “It’s not just today – it’s every day. Coming home from work is always a nightmare.

“You get on the trains and they say they’re not going to where they were advertised.

“The last six months have been ridiculous; it’s been taking hours to get home. It’s just stupid. We want it sorted as soon as possible.”

'Nightmare': Salon manager Kayley Wallis
Nigel Howard

Mayfair salon manager Kayley Wallis, 24, from Caterham, said: “It’s been an absolute nightmare since February. It’s in the evenings when people get angry but there’s nothing you can do.

“It was just a nightmare this morning. It took me just over an hour – normally it would take me half of that - and I had to get a train 90 minutes later because they had cancelled all the others.

Darshan Patel, 20, a student from Carshalton, said: “Two of my trains have been cancelled.

'Hassle': Darshan Patel said he'd been late for work due to the strike
Nigel Howard

“It is a bit of a hassle. It’s been on-going for quite some time now. Hopefully they sort it out soon.

“I was about 45 minutes late for work in the morning. We have to rely on them.”

Media sales executive William Aderele, 28, described his daily commute as “hideous” and added: “It’s been awful in terms of the commute, the service and there are constant delays. In the last three months I have only been on time once.”

Retail manager Rebecca Gayle-Phipps, 29, from Streatham Common, pays £146 a month for her season ticket and said: “It’s just dragging on now. My parents live in the south so I can’t even go home this week as there are no trains to Bognor Regis.”

Retail manager Pippa Mellor, 29, added: “It’s busy and crowded in the morning and I don’t enjoy being squashed in. It’s never been as bad as this.”

Support for strikers: Graphic designer Natasha Smith
Nigel Howard

Natasha Smith, 24, a graphic designer, said she supported the strikers but added: “It’s got a lot worse recently with random train cancellations and then a train will turn up then you’ll have three trains worth of people waiting but they’ll send a four-carriage train.

“A woman fainted on the train the other day because it was so packed and hot.”

Many hit out on social media with some passengers calling for a boycott of Southern Rail and others calling the unions a “disgrace”.

Jack Watson said: “Five-day strike over who opens the doors on the train? Ridiculous. RMT just trying to throw what little weight they have left around.”

Chris Shaw said: “I’m astounded. The strike is causing millions to be lost, arguing about who opens and closes train doors. Pathetic luddites.”

Howard Travis added: “Having read the reasons why the RMT Union have gone on strike for five days I can officially announce they are a disgrace.”

Two more unions, TSSA and Aslef, are now threatening to join the industrial action which is set to continue until midnight on Friday.

Southern's passenger services director Alex Foulds said: "We would like to thank our passengers for the patience and understanding they are showing during this unnecessary strike, and we apologise to them for the disruption they are experiencing.

"However, the good news is that the timetable we are operating is 60 per cent of our normal service and these are running well.

"The RMT is causing yet more misery for our passengers, and we call on them to let this strike be the last."

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: "This action has been forced on us by the arrogance and inaction of Govia Thameslink and the Government, who have made it clear that they have no interest in resolving this dispute or in tackling the daily chaos on Southern.

"Our fight is with the company and the Government who have dragged this franchise into total meltdown.

"We share the anger and frustration of passengers and we cannot sit back while jobs and safety are compromised on these dangerously overcrowded trains."

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