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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Southern warns of 'severe' rail disruption after strike | Southern warns of 'severe' rail disruption after strike |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Services on the Southern rail network are being severely disrupted following a 48-hour strike by train drivers, the rail operator says. | Services on the Southern rail network are being severely disrupted following a 48-hour strike by train drivers, the rail operator says. |
| The two-day walkout ended at midnight but all routes are expected to be affected throughout Thursday. | The two-day walkout ended at midnight but all routes are expected to be affected throughout Thursday. |
| A reduced service is operating across the Southern network with no service on some routes due to the ongoing overtime ban by Aslef drivers. | A reduced service is operating across the Southern network with no service on some routes due to the ongoing overtime ban by Aslef drivers. |
| Talks are being held at Acas to prevent further strikes, including on Friday. | Talks are being held at Acas to prevent further strikes, including on Friday. |
| Southern passenger services director Angie Doll said: "We will be working hard to run as many services as possible. | Southern passenger services director Angie Doll said: "We will be working hard to run as many services as possible. |
| "But, regrettably, I have to warn passengers that services will be severely impacted, with reductions and cancellations across all routes." | "But, regrettably, I have to warn passengers that services will be severely impacted, with reductions and cancellations across all routes." |
| Train disruption | Train disruption |
| There are no trains on some routes, including between East Croydon and Milton Keynes Central, and on the Gatwick Express between the airport and Brighton. | There are no trains on some routes, including between East Croydon and Milton Keynes Central, and on the Gatwick Express between the airport and Brighton. |
| There are no direct trains between London and either Portsmouth or Southampton, or London and Reigate, with a very limited peak service between Brighton and London. | There are no direct trains between London and either Portsmouth or Southampton, or London and Reigate, with a very limited peak service between Brighton and London. |
| A bus service is in operation between Lewes and Seaford. | A bus service is in operation between Lewes and Seaford. |
| Services are expected to be disrupted during the evening as drivers prepare to take further strike action on Friday, Southern said. | Services are expected to be disrupted during the evening as drivers prepare to take further strike action on Friday, Southern said. |
| The train operator said the overtime ban by the Aslef union would continue to have an impact on services every day. | The train operator said the overtime ban by the Aslef union would continue to have an impact on services every day. |
| Talks have been held at conciliation service Acas in a bid to prevent further strikes. | Talks have been held at conciliation service Acas in a bid to prevent further strikes. |
| Aslef said progress was made on Wednesday, but a planned strike on Friday would still go ahead. | Aslef said progress was made on Wednesday, but a planned strike on Friday would still go ahead. |
| Negotiations are due to resume later. | Negotiations are due to resume later. |
| Both Aslef and the RMT union, which has been staging separate strikes since April, are planning further stoppages. | Both Aslef and the RMT union, which has been staging separate strikes since April, are planning further stoppages. |
| The two unions are in dispute over changes to guards' roles on driver-only operated (DOO) trains, which would see drivers opening and closing doors. | The two unions are in dispute over changes to guards' roles on driver-only operated (DOO) trains, which would see drivers opening and closing doors. |
| The RMT fears jobs cuts and has safety concerns, while Aslef has described DOO as "inherently unsafe". | The RMT fears jobs cuts and has safety concerns, while Aslef has described DOO as "inherently unsafe". |
| Aslef's general secretary, Mick Whelan, has said DOO is "old, not new technology" designed for four-car trains in the early 1980s. | Aslef's general secretary, Mick Whelan, has said DOO is "old, not new technology" designed for four-car trains in the early 1980s. |
| He said rail workers now have 1,100 passengers on a 12-car train and, under DOO, two seconds to check 24 sets of doors. | He said rail workers now have 1,100 passengers on a 12-car train and, under DOO, two seconds to check 24 sets of doors. |
| 'Serial abuse' | |
| The Rail Delivery Group, which represents train operators, has said trains where drivers close the doors are safe. It has claimed that a third of trains across Britain operate this way and have done so safely for 30 years. | The Rail Delivery Group, which represents train operators, has said trains where drivers close the doors are safe. It has claimed that a third of trains across Britain operate this way and have done so safely for 30 years. |
| Tim Loughton, the Conservative MP for East Worthing and Shoreham, is to put a bill before parliament to make it easier for passengers to get compensation and to increase financial penalties paid by train companies. | |
| He said he wants a new rail ombudsman to be put in place. | |
| "We don't have a proper ombudsman with teeth at the moment," Mr Loughton said. | |
| "The job of the ombudsman will be to deal with complaints properly, proper recompense and to run that compensation system, and to flag up where there is serial abuse by rail operating companies that are not providing the service they should be and to haul them up accordingly." | |
| Planned Southern strike dates | Planned Southern strike dates |
| 00:01 Friday 16 December to 23:59: Friday 16 December (Aslef and RMT drivers' strike) | 00:01 Friday 16 December to 23:59: Friday 16 December (Aslef and RMT drivers' strike) |
| 00:01 Monday 19 December to 23:59 Tuesday 20 December (RMT conductors' strike) | 00:01 Monday 19 December to 23:59 Tuesday 20 December (RMT conductors' strike) |
| 00:01 Saturday 31 December to 23:59 Monday 2 January (RMT conductors' strike) | 00:01 Saturday 31 December to 23:59 Monday 2 January (RMT conductors' strike) |
| 00:01 Monday 9 January to 23:59: Saturday 14 January (Aslef and RMT drivers' strike) | 00:01 Monday 9 January to 23:59: Saturday 14 January (Aslef and RMT drivers' strike) |