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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/live/2016/aug/08/southern-rail-strike-begins-live-updates
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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Southern rail strike begins – live updates | Southern rail strike begins – live updates |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 9.16am BST | |
| 09:16 | |
| A couple of photos from Victoria station as the strike gets underway: | |
| The BBC is describing this as the “longest rail strike since 1968” - nearly 50 years. | |
| Updated | |
| at 9.19am BST | |
| 9.03am BST | |
| 09:03 | |
| Striking staff from the RMT union have been handing out leaflets on the picket line at Victoria station explaining why they are striking - and Damien Gayle has got his hands on one. | |
| The RMT says Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), which runs the Southern franchise, is putting passenger safety at risk with its plans to remove conductors from trains. | |
| Striking @SouthernRailUK conductors' reasons for industrial action #RMTStrikeSN #southernstrike @RMTunion pic.twitter.com/TAsfkfVVKQ | |
| Updated | |
| at 9.04am BST | |
| 8.53am BST | |
| 08:53 | |
| It seems the strike has actually improved things for at least one lucky commuter: | |
| @damiengayle train was on time for once and there was a seat! They can strike more often, it's better than regular service | |
| 8.43am BST | 8.43am BST |
| 08:43 | 08:43 |
| My colleague Damien Gayle is on the frontlines of the Southern strike: | My colleague Damien Gayle is on the frontlines of the Southern strike: |
| The height of rush hour yet Victoria station is eerily quiet #RMTStrikeSN #southernstrike pic.twitter.com/0NMP3DdNc6 | The height of rush hour yet Victoria station is eerily quiet #RMTStrikeSN #southernstrike pic.twitter.com/0NMP3DdNc6 |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 8.45am BST | |
| 8.41am BST | 8.41am BST |
| 08:41 | 08:41 |
| The Reigate, Redhill and District Rail Users’ Association is placing the blame squarely on the RMT. They’ve released a statement: | The Reigate, Redhill and District Rail Users’ Association is placing the blame squarely on the RMT. They’ve released a statement: |
| The RMT leadership shows utter contempt to the rail users by ruining their daily lives for the honour of pushing a button to close train doors... | The RMT leadership shows utter contempt to the rail users by ruining their daily lives for the honour of pushing a button to close train doors... |
| Last trains this week to Redhill are around 7pm, meaning that commuters and visitors alike have little choice but to cut their day short in London. GTR Southern and Thameslink will still be running 8 trains per hour to Gatwick straight through Redhill but are unable to plan a service to stop at Redhill. | Last trains this week to Redhill are around 7pm, meaning that commuters and visitors alike have little choice but to cut their day short in London. GTR Southern and Thameslink will still be running 8 trains per hour to Gatwick straight through Redhill but are unable to plan a service to stop at Redhill. |
| This is the group that last month bought an ad in the Times modelled on the famous Conservative “Labour isn’t working” poster, with the slogan: “Southern rail isn’t working” and pleading with the government, the RMT and Govia Thameslink to resolve the problems. | |
| Updated | |
| at 9.03am BST | |
| 8.33am BST | 8.33am BST |
| 08:33 | 08:33 |
| Damien Gayle | Damien Gayle |
| Victoria Station, Southern’s main terminus, was quieter than usual on Monday morning. Just a few hundred commuters stood waiting as the tannoy announced cancellation after cancellation “due to a shortage of train crew”. | Victoria Station, Southern’s main terminus, was quieter than usual on Monday morning. Just a few hundred commuters stood waiting as the tannoy announced cancellation after cancellation “due to a shortage of train crew”. |
| “Southern are sorry for the delay this will cause to your journey,” the plum-voiced announcer said unconvincingly (and ungrammatically) each time. | “Southern are sorry for the delay this will cause to your journey,” the plum-voiced announcer said unconvincingly (and ungrammatically) each time. |
| The 7.54 from Brighton arrived six minutes late and vomited hundreds of disgruntled looking commuters on to the concourse. Grim-faced, they streamed through the barriers at top speed. | The 7.54 from Brighton arrived six minutes late and vomited hundreds of disgruntled looking commuters on to the concourse. Grim-faced, they streamed through the barriers at top speed. |
| Steve Mansfield was hurrying to work after catching the train from Haywards Heath. “There’s nothing to London Bridge so I’m here,” he said. “It’s another half-hour at least... we’re all absolutely bloody fed up with it to the back teeth.” | Steve Mansfield was hurrying to work after catching the train from Haywards Heath. “There’s nothing to London Bridge so I’m here,” he said. “It’s another half-hour at least... we’re all absolutely bloody fed up with it to the back teeth.” |
| Brandishing his travel card, he added: “It’s a bargain for three and a half thousand quid or whatever.” | Brandishing his travel card, he added: “It’s a bargain for three and a half thousand quid or whatever.” |
| Memi Galiatsatou, a treasury analyst from Worthing, said: “I had to take the bus to get to Brighton. I paid £7 for a return ticket on top of my normal fare. It’s ridiculous.” | Memi Galiatsatou, a treasury analyst from Worthing, said: “I had to take the bus to get to Brighton. I paid £7 for a return ticket on top of my normal fare. It’s ridiculous.” |
| Asked about the ongoing industrial dispute, she said: “I think it’s ridiculous. It’s been two and a half months now. It’s getting out of hand. Someone has to do something about it.” | Asked about the ongoing industrial dispute, she said: “I think it’s ridiculous. It’s been two and a half months now. It’s getting out of hand. Someone has to do something about it.” |
| Martin Simms said he was forced to stand all the way from Three Bridges, Sussex, on his journey into Victoria. He said unions and management had performed poorly, adding: “they shouldn’t inconvenience the public as much as they have done. It’s taken too long. We are suffering.” | Martin Simms said he was forced to stand all the way from Three Bridges, Sussex, on his journey into Victoria. He said unions and management had performed poorly, adding: “they shouldn’t inconvenience the public as much as they have done. It’s taken too long. We are suffering.” |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 8.39am BST | at 8.39am BST |
| 8.32am BST | 8.32am BST |
| 08:32 | 08:32 |
| The RMT general secretary, Mick Cash, is blaming Govia Thameslink (GTR), Southern’s franchise operator, and the government for this week’s strike. | The RMT general secretary, Mick Cash, is blaming Govia Thameslink (GTR), Southern’s franchise operator, and the government for this week’s strike. |
| He said: “The strike action this morning is rock solid across the Southern rail network as we fight to put rail safety before the profits of the failed Govia Thameslink operation. | He said: “The strike action this morning is rock solid across the Southern rail network as we fight to put rail safety before the profits of the failed Govia Thameslink operation. |
| “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.” | “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.” |
| On Friday, RMT offered to cancel the strike if GTR would match a compromise the union reached with ScotRail. “They kicked that back in our faces,” he said. | On Friday, RMT offered to cancel the strike if GTR would match a compromise the union reached with ScotRail. “They kicked that back in our faces,” he said. |
| “We share the anger and frustration of passengers and we cannot sit back while jobs and safety are compromised on these dangerously overcrowded trains.” | “We share the anger and frustration of passengers and we cannot sit back while jobs and safety are compromised on these dangerously overcrowded trains.” |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 8.41am BST | at 8.41am BST |
| 8.31am BST | 8.31am BST |
| 08:31 | 08:31 |
| Southern rail’s CEO, Charles Horton, has been on the Today programme this morning saying he is “deeply sorry for the disruption to people’s lives” caused by the industrial action. | Southern rail’s CEO, Charles Horton, has been on the Today programme this morning saying he is “deeply sorry for the disruption to people’s lives” caused by the industrial action. |
| The RMT were “not prepared to compromise” despite three days’ mediation last week, he said. | The RMT were “not prepared to compromise” despite three days’ mediation last week, he said. |
| Horton explained that Southern had offered the RMT a guarantee that where services currently have a conductor, it would commit to always having a second member of staff in addition to the driver, except occasionally in “disrupted circumstances”. But the RMT rejected this, which he said was due to the union’s “intransigence”. | Horton explained that Southern had offered the RMT a guarantee that where services currently have a conductor, it would commit to always having a second member of staff in addition to the driver, except occasionally in “disrupted circumstances”. But the RMT rejected this, which he said was due to the union’s “intransigence”. |
| “What the RMT are insisting on is that the control of the doors remains with the conductor, whereas we want to transfer that responsibility for controlling the doors to the driver,” he said. | “What the RMT are insisting on is that the control of the doors remains with the conductor, whereas we want to transfer that responsibility for controlling the doors to the driver,” he said. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 8.42am BST | at 8.42am BST |
| 8.21am BST | 8.21am BST |
| 08:21 | 08:21 |
| Commuter misery looms for thousands in the south-east, as a five-day strike hits the troubled Southern rail franchise. | Commuter misery looms for thousands in the south-east, as a five-day strike hits the troubled Southern rail franchise. |
| A bitter dispute between Southern’s operator, Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) and the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union over plans to change the role of conductors and other job changes has led to the walkout, after talks at the mediation service Acas collapsed. | A bitter dispute between Southern’s operator, Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) and the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union over plans to change the role of conductors and other job changes has led to the walkout, after talks at the mediation service Acas collapsed. |
| The service has been in the headlines for months as industrial action and staff shortages have hit services, exacerbating Southern’s persistent delays and cancellations, as well as overcrowding on the remaining trains. Last month Southern cancelled hundreds of services each day in an attempt to improve reliability on the remaining routes, while MPs on the transport committee summoned union bosses and GTR management to question them on the chaos. | The service has been in the headlines for months as industrial action and staff shortages have hit services, exacerbating Southern’s persistent delays and cancellations, as well as overcrowding on the remaining trains. Last month Southern cancelled hundreds of services each day in an attempt to improve reliability on the remaining routes, while MPs on the transport committee summoned union bosses and GTR management to question them on the chaos. |
| Southern announced its emergency timetable will include 60% of its normal services this week, although some areas of Sussex will have no trains at all. The BBC has a useful summary of the services that will be worst hit. | Southern announced its emergency timetable will include 60% of its normal services this week, although some areas of Sussex will have no trains at all. The BBC has a useful summary of the services that will be worst hit. |
| RMT general secretary, Mick Cash, said Southern is in “total meltdown” and the company’s plans to change the role of conductors risks passenger safety. | RMT general secretary, Mick Cash, said Southern is in “total meltdown” and the company’s plans to change the role of conductors risks passenger safety. |
| He 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.” | He 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.” |
| GTR’s Angie Doll said the strike is “unnecessary, unacceptable and unjustified”, adding: “We have gone the extra mile with our compromise offer, but the RMT has made it clear they are not prepared to negotiate. They did not want to discuss the role of the onboard supervisor and remain rigidly opposed to evolving the role of onboard staff to focus more on customers.” | GTR’s Angie Doll said the strike is “unnecessary, unacceptable and unjustified”, adding: “We have gone the extra mile with our compromise offer, but the RMT has made it clear they are not prepared to negotiate. They did not want to discuss the role of the onboard supervisor and remain rigidly opposed to evolving the role of onboard staff to focus more on customers.” |
| We’ll be following the strike as it unfolds this morning. | We’ll be following the strike as it unfolds this morning. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 8.44am BST | at 8.44am BST |