Southern Rail experienced a complete shutdown of its services on January 5 due to industrial action taken by ASLEF, one of the UK’s largest trade unions representing train drivers. This follows similar disruptions on January 3, 4, 6, and 7, caused by national industrial action by both RMT and ASLEF. The strikes, which have caused significant inconvenience for commuters and travellers in the South of England, were called in response to ongoing disputes over working conditions and the role of conductors on Southern Rail trains.
Many people went online to share their thoughts on this issue.
Noah tweeted, “I had no idea there was a strike until I got here, I tried looking online, but the website wasn’t very helpful. I’m just going to have to find another way to work now.”
Others expressed frustration with the need for more communication and support from Southern Rail. John tweeted, “I think it’s unfair that we’re suffering because of a dispute between the company and the unions; they should have made more effort to let us know what was happening.”
A Southern Rail spokesperson acknowledged passengers‘ frustration and stated that the company was working to resolve the issues as quickly as possible. “We understand that the industrial action has caused significant inconvenience for our passengers. We are doing everything we can to minimize the disruption; we are committed to resolving the disputes with the unions and getting our services back to normal as soon as possible.” the spokesperson said.Â
Despite the efforts of Southern Rail, the strikes have had a major impact on travel in the region. The company ran a limited service on the first three strike days, with trains starting later than normal and finishing in the late afternoon. Some stations could have been served better. On the day of the complete shutdown, no trains ran at all. The disruption will continue on January 8, with no trains before 7 am and crowded services.
The strikes have also had a ripple effect on other forms of transportation, with buses and roads experiencing increased traffic as travellers sought alternative means of getting around. Some passengers have reported difficulties finding tickets for alternative forms of transportation, with many trains and buses already fully booked.
The strikes have raised questions about the reliability and sustainability of Southern Rail’s services, with some calling for the government to intervene in the disputes. “It’s just not acceptable that we’re experiencing these disruptions regularly,” said a commuter. “Something needs to be done to fix the problems at Southern Rail and ensure that passengers can get to where they need to go.”
As of now, it remains unclear when the industrial action will end and when services will return to normal. Passengers are advised to check the Southern Rail website and National Rail Enquiries for updates and travel only if necessary.
