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| South Western Railway strike: 27-day walk out begins | South Western Railway strike: 27-day walk out begins |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Commuters are facing disruption as workers on South Western Railway (SWR) begin a 27-day strike. | Commuters are facing disruption as workers on South Western Railway (SWR) begin a 27-day strike. |
| It comes after talks between the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union and SWR over a long-running dispute over guards on trains broke down. | It comes after talks between the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union and SWR over a long-running dispute over guards on trains broke down. |
| The operator called the action "unnecessary" and said "more than half" of weekday trains would run, but warned of queues at stations. | The operator called the action "unnecessary" and said "more than half" of weekday trains would run, but warned of queues at stations. |
| The union said the strike is "in defence of passenger safety". | The union said the strike is "in defence of passenger safety". |
| The RMT said SWR had "point-blank refused" to show any serious movement at talks held at the conciliation service Acas. | The RMT said SWR had "point-blank refused" to show any serious movement at talks held at the conciliation service Acas. |
| The union has been demanding that guards should oversee the operation of doors and perform other safety functions in dispatching trains. | The union has been demanding that guards should oversee the operation of doors and perform other safety functions in dispatching trains. |
| It said the company's proposals would leave guards as "glorified porters" without any safety responsibilities. | It said the company's proposals would leave guards as "glorified porters" without any safety responsibilities. |
| As the strike got under way earlier, disruption was compounded when a man seen carrying an air rifle led to a train being evacuated. | As the strike got under way earlier, disruption was compounded when a man seen carrying an air rifle led to a train being evacuated. |
| Elsewhere, Sophia Griffiths, who travels from Earlsfield station into central London, said: "Usually when they strike the station is not too bad but today was just nuts. | Elsewhere, Sophia Griffiths, who travels from Earlsfield station into central London, said: "Usually when they strike the station is not too bad but today was just nuts. |
| "I saw the queue outside and thought 'no way' - I've never seen it that long so I took the bus to Tooting and got the Tube from there." | "I saw the queue outside and thought 'no way' - I've never seen it that long so I took the bus to Tooting and got the Tube from there." |
| She said she was supportive of the striking workers and said it was "crazy they (SWR) would let it get to this". | She said she was supportive of the striking workers and said it was "crazy they (SWR) would let it get to this". |
| The communications officer at Nuffield Council on Bioethics said she was considering cycling to work during the prolonged action and working from home more. | The communications officer at Nuffield Council on Bioethics said she was considering cycling to work during the prolonged action and working from home more. |
| Charlotte Burnell said it took almost an hour to travel from Claygate, Surrey, to Waterloo - a journey which usually takes 34 minutes. | Charlotte Burnell said it took almost an hour to travel from Claygate, Surrey, to Waterloo - a journey which usually takes 34 minutes. |
| "You can manage a couple of days of strike action but the thought of it going on for 27 days is pretty overwhelming," she said. | "You can manage a couple of days of strike action but the thought of it going on for 27 days is pretty overwhelming," she said. |
| "It's physically uncomfortable. I was forced to stand awkwardly and my back was killing me." | "It's physically uncomfortable. I was forced to stand awkwardly and my back was killing me." |
| Steve Nagioff described passengers "rammed" into a carriage on his commute from Whitton in south west London. | Steve Nagioff described passengers "rammed" into a carriage on his commute from Whitton in south west London. |
| "A woman next to me said that she couldn't breathe. The train stopped at Richmond and I fell out - luckily other passengers got off the train so I got back on it again. | "A woman next to me said that she couldn't breathe. The train stopped at Richmond and I fell out - luckily other passengers got off the train so I got back on it again. |
| "It's just not right - I pay full ticket prices. If the service is going to be like this then it should be free," he added. | "It's just not right - I pay full ticket prices. If the service is going to be like this then it should be free," he added. |
| Becky Bartlett, from Wokingham in Berkshire, said she was an hour late for work in London after her regular train was cancelled. | Becky Bartlett, from Wokingham in Berkshire, said she was an hour late for work in London after her regular train was cancelled. |
| "I have various theatre and gig plans for the month, plus Christmas parties and events, which I have either had to cancel, some at loss of the ticket price, or I'm going to have to pay for a £30+ taxi from Reading just to get home. | "I have various theatre and gig plans for the month, plus Christmas parties and events, which I have either had to cancel, some at loss of the ticket price, or I'm going to have to pay for a £30+ taxi from Reading just to get home. |
| "This whole experience is going to be horrific. I'm one day in and I've already had enough." | "This whole experience is going to be horrific. I'm one day in and I've already had enough." |
| RMT assistant general secretary Steve Hedley said members were "absolutely furious" with SWR following the Acas talks. | RMT assistant general secretary Steve Hedley said members were "absolutely furious" with SWR following the Acas talks. |
| "Of course our members don't want to lose a month's money running up to Christmas but they're prepared to do that to show that safety and accessibility for disabled people is non-negotiable." | "Of course our members don't want to lose a month's money running up to Christmas but they're prepared to do that to show that safety and accessibility for disabled people is non-negotiable." |
| Regional organiser Mick Tosh said the union would consider financial support for any members who suffered particular hardship because of the strike. | |
| Your Questions Answered: Could public transport be made cheaper? | |
| SWR said it had offered "a guard on every train, and a safety critical role for that guard". | SWR said it had offered "a guard on every train, and a safety critical role for that guard". |
| Managing director Andy Mellors said the action was "unnecessary" and the issue needed to be settled before a new fleet of modern suburban trains was introduced next year. | |
| "Our assessment is that by having drivers opening and closing doors, that will actually optimise the performance of the network by getting more trains to Waterloo on time. | "Our assessment is that by having drivers opening and closing doors, that will actually optimise the performance of the network by getting more trains to Waterloo on time. |
| "We've been very clear that we're committed to keeping a guard on our trains and those guards will have safety critical competencies. Our proposals will make guards more customer facing and improve safety, security and accessibility." | "We've been very clear that we're committed to keeping a guard on our trains and those guards will have safety critical competencies. Our proposals will make guards more customer facing and improve safety, security and accessibility." |
| Analysis | Analysis |
| By Paul Clifton, BBC South transport correspondent | By Paul Clifton, BBC South transport correspondent |
| At Chandler's Ford station this morning, the ticket office door was locked. The platform was empty and all the signs were blank. | At Chandler's Ford station this morning, the ticket office door was locked. The platform was empty and all the signs were blank. |
| It's going to stay that way for a month. The next train isn't due until 2 January 2020. | It's going to stay that way for a month. The next train isn't due until 2 January 2020. |
| It's the same story at Swaythling, Millbrook, Dean, Dunbridge and a few other small stations popular with children heading to school as well as daily commuters. | It's the same story at Swaythling, Millbrook, Dean, Dunbridge and a few other small stations popular with children heading to school as well as daily commuters. |
| The two sides are trading insults and blaming each other. They haven't budged in more than two years of strikes. | The two sides are trading insults and blaming each other. They haven't budged in more than two years of strikes. |
| I don't think many passengers have any goodwill left at all for either the RMT or South Western Railway - because this month-long strike is going to cause real hardship for hundreds of thousands of people each day. | I don't think many passengers have any goodwill left at all for either the RMT or South Western Railway - because this month-long strike is going to cause real hardship for hundreds of thousands of people each day. |
| SWR released a revised timetable and said it would provide longer trains to increase capacity where possible. | SWR released a revised timetable and said it would provide longer trains to increase capacity where possible. |
| The operator runs services between London Waterloo and Portsmouth, Southampton, Bournemouth and Weymouth as well as Reading, Exeter and Bristol. It also operates suburban commuter lines in south-west London, Surrey, Berkshire, and north-east Hampshire. | The operator runs services between London Waterloo and Portsmouth, Southampton, Bournemouth and Weymouth as well as Reading, Exeter and Bristol. It also operates suburban commuter lines in south-west London, Surrey, Berkshire, and north-east Hampshire. |
| Strike days are as follows: | Strike days are as follows: |
| Has your journey been affected? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk | Has your journey been affected? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or you can get in touch using the form below: | Or you can get in touch using the form below: |