'South Western Railway strike: commuters face misery as walkout begins – as it happened' diff viewer (12/13)

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South Western Railway strike: commuters face misery as walkout begins – live updates	South Western Railway strike: commuters face misery as walkout begins – live updates
2019-12-02 14:00:15 UTC	2019-12-02 15:10:19 UTC (about 1 hour later)
All the latest news and reaction as the first of a month-long series of strikes hitting southern England begins	All the latest news and reaction as the first of a month-long series of strikes hitting southern England begins
	Labour has announced a raft of new transport policies as the South Western Railway strike took its toll on commuters this morning. The party says it will bring the railways back into public ownership and cut regulated rail fares by 33% from January 2020. Children aged 16 and under would receive free rail travel under the plans, while part-time workers would be guaranteed “fair” fares. The party is also promising “a London-style ticketing system across the nation” to simplify prices using zonal fares, which would be applied to all types of public transport, and allow contactless payments. The plans would only affect fares in England as those in Wales and Scotland are devolved
	A 40-year-old train driver employed by SWR, with nearly 20 years of rail experience, described guards as “the human face of the railway, ensuring there is a safe, secure and accessible environment”. The driver, who wished to remain anonymous, got in touch with the Guardian to call on more drivers to support the strike. He said: “Running a train without a guard is akin to flying a plane with no cabin crew: 99.99% of journeys would occur without incident, but if and when something does go wrong, the consequences are much more likely to be catastrophic.”
	Labour’s shadow transport secretary, Andy McDonald, has backed the striking railway workers and said South Western Railways need to “give their heads a shake”. He accused the company of reneging on deal agreed with the union. McDonald, who has been doing the media rounds this morning, told LBC: “This is so frustrating. Right across the country, those issues have been resolved to everybody’s satisfaction. Putting those safety-critical guards on trains has happened everywhere.”
	The London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a business networking and support organisation, has said the strikes will have a “detrimental impact” on key sectors of London’s economy.Sean McKee, director of policy and public affairs at London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said: “London businesses recognise the right to strike, but this prolonged strike action is a cynical move deliberately designed to cause inconvenience to the travelling public in the run to, and through, Christmas. It will have a detrimental impact to key sectors of the capital’s economy, which rely upon festive and tourism trade.”
Labour has announced a raft of new transport policies as the South Western Railway strike takes its toll on commuters.	Labour has announced a raft of new transport policies as the South Western Railway strike takes its toll on commuters.
The party says it will bring the railways back into public ownership and cut regulated rail fares by 33% from January 2020. Children aged 16 and under would receive free rail travel under the plans, while part-time workers would be guaranteed “fair” fares.	The party says it will bring the railways back into public ownership and cut regulated rail fares by 33% from January 2020. Children aged 16 and under would receive free rail travel under the plans, while part-time workers would be guaranteed “fair” fares.
Corbyn officially launched the policy outside Finsbury Park station in the Islington North constituency he has held since 1983. “They are not giveaways, they are rebalancing what we had, which was 10 years of austerity in which living standards have often fallen, income levels have been static, and in some cases fallen, and public services have been damaged and reduced,” he told the press in north London.	Corbyn officially launched the policy outside Finsbury Park station in the Islington North constituency he has held since 1983. “They are not giveaways, they are rebalancing what we had, which was 10 years of austerity in which living standards have often fallen, income levels have been static, and in some cases fallen, and public services have been damaged and reduced,” he told the press in north London.
“And if all of our spending commitments, the whole of our manifesto, is carried out to every last letter we still barely reach the levels of public services of France or Germany and that’s how far behind we’ve fallen because of the strategy that’s been followed.”	“And if all of our spending commitments, the whole of our manifesto, is carried out to every last letter we still barely reach the levels of public services of France or Germany and that’s how far behind we’ve fallen because of the strategy that’s been followed.”
Here is the Guardian’s transport correspondent, Gwyn Topham, latest report on the strike. Some commuters have reached out to speak of their frustration:	Here is the Guardian’s transport correspondent, Gwyn Topham, latest report on the strike. Some commuters have reached out to speak of their frustration:
A 40-year-old train driver employed by SWR, with nearly 20 years of rail experience, described guards as “the human face of the railway, ensuring there is a safe, secure and accessible environment”.	A 40-year-old train driver employed by SWR, with nearly 20 years of rail experience, described guards as “the human face of the railway, ensuring there is a safe, secure and accessible environment”.
The driver, who wished to remain anonymous, got in touch with the Guardian to call on more drivers to support the strike. He said: “Running a train without a guard is akin to flying a plane with no cabin crew: 99.99% of journeys would occur without incident, but if and when something does go wrong, the consequences are much more likely to be catastrophic.”	The driver, who wished to remain anonymous, got in touch with the Guardian to call on more drivers to support the strike. He said: “Running a train without a guard is akin to flying a plane with no cabin crew: 99.99% of journeys would occur without incident, but if and when something does go wrong, the consequences are much more likely to be catastrophic.”
He added: “Transferring door control to drivers is a necessary first step towards getting rid of guards altogether, which is why SWR and the Tories are so determined to make it happen. This is not about technology or automation, this is about the vital safety responsibilities of one grade of staff being dumped on to another grade who already have plenty to deal with.	He added: “Transferring door control to drivers is a necessary first step towards getting rid of guards altogether, which is why SWR and the Tories are so determined to make it happen. This is not about technology or automation, this is about the vital safety responsibilities of one grade of staff being dumped on to another grade who already have plenty to deal with.
“We regularly carry in excess of a thousand passengers on a single train and the idea of having to single-handedly safely manage that number of people in a major incident is frankly terrifying. Every year the industry already sees serious incidents and near-misses which are directly caused or made worse by the absence of a guard.”	“We regularly carry in excess of a thousand passengers on a single train and the idea of having to single-handedly safely manage that number of people in a major incident is frankly terrifying. Every year the industry already sees serious incidents and near-misses which are directly caused or made worse by the absence of a guard.”
The Liberal Democrat candidate Monica Harding, who is running against Dominic Raab in Esher and Walton, has called on the RMT and South Western Railway (SWR) to end the strike impasse. Residents in the constituency depend heavily on SWR to commute into central London.	The Liberal Democrat candidate Monica Harding, who is running against Dominic Raab in Esher and Walton, has called on the RMT and South Western Railway (SWR) to end the strike impasse. Residents in the constituency depend heavily on SWR to commute into central London.
In a recent blogpost, Harding said: “Under the Tories, Esher and Walton commuters have been catastrophically let down. People are paying way over the odds for what has often been an appalling service and fixing this is high on their list of priorities. Yet Dominic Raab has done little to represent them and even his voting record shows he has consistently voted against slowing the rises to rail fares.”	In a recent blogpost, Harding said: “Under the Tories, Esher and Walton commuters have been catastrophically let down. People are paying way over the odds for what has often been an appalling service and fixing this is high on their list of priorities. Yet Dominic Raab has done little to represent them and even his voting record shows he has consistently voted against slowing the rises to rail fares.”
The situation in Esher and Walton is being closely watched as pollsters suggest it could provide this election’s “Portillo moment”. The foreign secretary now only holds a five-point lead over the Lib Dems with less than two weeks before voting, according to a Deltapoll survey. In 2017, Raab had a massive 23,298 majority.	The situation in Esher and Walton is being closely watched as pollsters suggest it could provide this election’s “Portillo moment”. The foreign secretary now only holds a five-point lead over the Lib Dems with less than two weeks before voting, according to a Deltapoll survey. In 2017, Raab had a massive 23,298 majority.
The fact he now faces such a close race means he is vulnerable to a so-called Portillo moment – a reference to the shock defeat of Michael Portillo in the Labour landslide of 1997.	The fact he now faces such a close race means he is vulnerable to a so-called Portillo moment – a reference to the shock defeat of Michael Portillo in the Labour landslide of 1997.
Harding is also calling for rail fare freezes and the creation of a “Railways Agency” to hold companies to account, removing the Department for Transport from day-to-day decision-making.	Harding is also calling for rail fare freezes and the creation of a “Railways Agency” to hold companies to account, removing the Department for Transport from day-to-day decision-making.
SWR’s managing director, Andy Mellors, said the company was running more than half of its normal services.	SWR’s managing director, Andy Mellors, said the company was running more than half of its normal services.
He said there had been further disruption on Monday morning after police had to board a train in Woking because of an incident unrelated to the industrial action.	He said there had been further disruption on Monday morning after police had to board a train in Woking because of an incident unrelated to the industrial action.
Mellors told PA Media: “We are running over half of our services today, so clearly there is potential for some customers to have trains that are busier than usual.	Mellors told PA Media: “We are running over half of our services today, so clearly there is potential for some customers to have trains that are busier than usual.
“But we are here at Waterloo station and passengers are moving freely.”	“But we are here at Waterloo station and passengers are moving freely.”
Here’s some responses to the Guardian’s callout to those affected by the strike.	Here’s some responses to the Guardian’s callout to those affected by the strike.
Gary from Walton-on-Thames said he had to call work to explain he cannot get in:	Gary from Walton-on-Thames said he had to call work to explain he cannot get in:
“Not only is SWR on strike today but they have also decided to reduce the number of carriages on their trains! I stood outside with the temperature at -2 degrees this morning for almost an hour and both trains that were due to arrive were late and had reduced carriages. People couldn’t get on the train (including myself). I have now had to call my work and explain that I cannot get in. This is a disgrace. The government needs to step in to do something about this. I’m sick of it.”	“Not only is SWR on strike today but they have also decided to reduce the number of carriages on their trains! I stood outside with the temperature at -2 degrees this morning for almost an hour and both trains that were due to arrive were late and had reduced carriages. People couldn’t get on the train (including myself). I have now had to call my work and explain that I cannot get in. This is a disgrace. The government needs to step in to do something about this. I’m sick of it.”
Kate, who works in the City and travels from Winchester, said she feels the strikes are following her:	Kate, who works in the City and travels from Winchester, said she feels the strikes are following her:
“Over half of the trains to and from Winchester are cancelled and whilst I have a very understanding boss and can work from home, I prefer to work from the office. I moved to Winchester three years ago after being on the Southern Railway route for many years and subjected to their strikes for the same reason – guards on trains. I feel the strikes are following me! I agree with having a guard on every train, without question. What is frustrating for this strike is that both sides seem to be strongly disagreeing with each other and so no-one quite know what the actual issue is.”	“Over half of the trains to and from Winchester are cancelled and whilst I have a very understanding boss and can work from home, I prefer to work from the office. I moved to Winchester three years ago after being on the Southern Railway route for many years and subjected to their strikes for the same reason – guards on trains. I feel the strikes are following me! I agree with having a guard on every train, without question. What is frustrating for this strike is that both sides seem to be strongly disagreeing with each other and so no-one quite know what the actual issue is.”
Michael Aaronson, 70, a freelance consultant from Wanborough says he and other passengers feel abandoned:	Michael Aaronson, 70, a freelance consultant from Wanborough says he and other passengers feel abandoned:
“I normally travel to London Waterloo. There are no trains and no replacement bus services from our station for the duration of the strike, so I and my fellow passengers from Wanborough are effectively abandoned by SWR for the whole of December. What makes this doubly absurd is that Great Western Railway (GWR), also runs trains through our station but hardly any of them stop here. So we are all thrown back to using our cars, adding yet more pressure to the congested roads around Guildford.”	“I normally travel to London Waterloo. There are no trains and no replacement bus services from our station for the duration of the strike, so I and my fellow passengers from Wanborough are effectively abandoned by SWR for the whole of December. What makes this doubly absurd is that Great Western Railway (GWR), also runs trains through our station but hardly any of them stop here. So we are all thrown back to using our cars, adding yet more pressure to the congested roads around Guildford.”
Labour’s shadow transport secretary, Andy McDonald, has backed the striking railway workers and said South Western Railways need to “give their heads a shake”. He accused the company of reneging on deal agreed with the union.	Labour’s shadow transport secretary, Andy McDonald, has backed the striking railway workers and said South Western Railways need to “give their heads a shake”. He accused the company of reneging on deal agreed with the union.
McDonald, who has been doing the media rounds this morning, told LBC: “This is so frustrating. Right across the country, those issues have been resolved to everybody’s satisfaction. Putting those safety-critical guards on trains has happened everywhere.	McDonald, who has been doing the media rounds this morning, told LBC: “This is so frustrating. Right across the country, those issues have been resolved to everybody’s satisfaction. Putting those safety-critical guards on trains has happened everywhere.
“Yet South Western, who had an agreement with the trade union, have reneged on that agreement and we now find ourselves in that terrible situation.”	“Yet South Western, who had an agreement with the trade union, have reneged on that agreement and we now find ourselves in that terrible situation.”
Speaking to Nick Ferrari, he said: “They should have stuck to the agreement that had been reached, then this wouldn’t be happening.	Speaking to Nick Ferrari, he said: “They should have stuck to the agreement that had been reached, then this wouldn’t be happening.
“I’m hugely disappointed that they have taken this step and if they would do what the other train operators have done and give that guarantee and put those guards on the trains, this matter would be resolved imminently and people could go about their preparations for Christmas without any interruption whatsoever.	“I’m hugely disappointed that they have taken this step and if they would do what the other train operators have done and give that guarantee and put those guards on the trains, this matter would be resolved imminently and people could go about their preparations for Christmas without any interruption whatsoever.
“They need to give their heads a shake.”	“They need to give their heads a shake.”
This was the scene outside Earlsfield station, in south-west London, just after 8am. It later grew even bigger snaking round the corner.	This was the scene outside Earlsfield station, in south-west London, just after 8am. It later grew even bigger snaking round the corner.
It also had a knock-on effect on local buses which quickly filled up and didn’t stop at many stops due to lack of room.	It also had a knock-on effect on local buses which quickly filled up and didn’t stop at many stops due to lack of room.