Southern Rail strike: Travel misery for train passengers as weekend strike begins

Strike: Southern customers have already endured months of delays and cancellations due to strikes
Getty Images
Chloe Chaplain9 November 2016

Southern Rail commuters face fresh travel chaos today as workers go on strike in the latest walk-out to hit the troublesome rail company.

The 48-hour strike began at midnight, causing trains to be cancelled and routes to be severely disrupted as passengers attempted to travel this morning.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union walk-out over Bonfire Night weekend will also prevent hundreds of families from travelling to London firework displays.

Southern Rail customers have repeatedly endured strikes, track problems and staff shortages this year, as the long-running and bitter row over plans to change the role of conductors fails to reach a conclusion.

Delayed: Disgruntled commuters face disrupted services
James Kearsey.

Long-suffereing commuters have shared their frustration on Twitter, with one writing: "My blood is boiling that after this week's horrendous service your staff still feel it fit to strike today."

The rail operator and the union have held hours of talks but the dispute remains deadlocked.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said Southern's owners, Govia Thameslink Railway, and the Government had made it clear they have no interest in resolving the long-running row.

"Yet again, the sheer pig-headedness of the company and the Government means that our members are being forced to take further industrial action in a bid to maintain a safe and secure service on Southern Rail," he said.

Mr Cash repeated his call to Transport Secretary Chris Grayling to "get out of his bunker" and try to help resolve the row.

He said: "He continues to ignore us. If Government ministers can meet with our colleagues from the Prison Officers Association over safety in prisons then there is no reason whatsoever why they can't meet with RMT over safety on our railways."

And he accused the Government of “calling the shots” behind the scene while “publicly claiming the dispute is between RMT and GTR”.

Warning: a sign at Brighton station informing passengers of the planned strikes
PA

But there will be a restricted service, with many routes having fewer trains, and on some routes there will be no trains at all.

Strike: Southern passengers hit by industrial action at Brighton Railway Station
PA

In a move that has led Southern to accuse the union of trying to “cancel Christmas”, members will walk out from December 22 to Christmas Eve and again for three days from New Year’s Eve.

One frustrated customer pointed out that the Southern strikes are the "sole reason I chose to fly out of Heathrow and not Gatwick" for their Christmas break.

A spokesman for Southern said: "Not content with causing months of misery, the RMT has now hit a new low and is determined to cancel Christmas for the travelling public.

"These latest strikes will not just hit families wanting to get home for Christmas but also the shops and businesses for whom Christmas is their busiest time.

"These strikes are spiteful, vindictive and pointless given the majority of conductors have now signed up to the new on-board role.

"This has never been about safety, it's purely about the RMT hanging on to outdated working practices and union power."

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