Much-maligned rail operator Southern is to cut 350 trains a day in its new timetable, a union has claimed.
Advertisement
It includes travellers branding trains run by Govia Thameslink Railways – which operates the Southern franchise – as “a disaster”, “appalling” and like “a clapped-out rust heap”.
Southern services have been hit by delays and cancellations for weeks because of staff shortages and strikes in a row over the role of conductors. “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”. If there’s fewer services, they are going to be even more overcrowded.
“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”.
‘It should give the majority of our passengers a better, more consistent service that they can plan around’.
The Transport Select Committee is looking at how to improve rail passengers’ experience, and has convened an additional session to “reflect the weight of evidence received from passengers on GTR’s Southern Railway services”, and examine the causes of disruption on the network. “If services being drastically cut, passenger fares should be too”.
Responding to the publication of the revised timetable this week Jenny Randerson, Liberal Democrat transport spokesperson, said: “Southern have failed, it is time for the Government to strip them of their franchise”.
Southern wants drivers, instead of conductors, to close doors on the trains – a move which RMT has objected to and called unsafe.
He added that Directly Operated Railways were “lined up and ready to go” to take over the franchise after it is returned to public ownership, and should run the route “under public control, in the public interest”.
Southern says the number of trains cancelled in the revised timetable is broadly similar to the number being cancelled ad hoc today but the bulk of the train service will be delivered when people need it most.
A GTR spokesman said: “We will be confirming details of a temporary timetable later this week”.
Southern said it would revert back to the original timetable once staffing levels returned to normal.
A four bedroom home in Brighton costs on average £617,358 and the same home in Warwick or Leamington Spa, a slightly longer journey but served by more reliable providers, costs £413,264 and £456,446 respectively.
The Redhill to London Victoria service was reportedly running late because the train driver was en route in a cab from Tonbridge, in Kent, to join the train at Redhill.
Advertisement
Meanwhile Brighton MPs were split on whether or not to give operators Govia Thameslink time to turn their service around or to strip them of the franchise.
