Southern Rail strikes “have hit house price growth”
The first of three days of Southern strikes began this morning – but that's not the only woe faced by commuters along the line today, after it emerged house price growth has been hit by the action.
Yep – after months of delays and strikes, house-hunters have finally been put off buying homes near stations serviced by Southern.
Research by online estate agent Emoov using data from Zoopla suggested average house price growth along the line hit 6.5 per cent in the last six months, compared with 7.6 per cent across the rest of the UK.
Homes along its Mainline West branch, which runs from Victoria to Southampton, were worst hit, with growth over the past year just mustering 5.4 per cent. In the past six months, house price shave grown just 0.2 per cent, compared with a national rise of three per cent.
Prices along the Coastway West route from Southampton to Brighton and Portsmouth were also hit, rising 5.7 per cent in the past year and 0.7 per cent over 12 months. Meanwhile, prices along the Mainline East route from Southampton to Seaford and Hastings grew 5.7 per cent in the past year, and 0.7 per cent in the past six months.
The news came as long-suffering commuters braced themselves three days of strikes from Southern rail drivers, who are at loggerheads with the line's owner, Govia, over driver-operated doors.
Strikes will take place today, tomorrow and Friday – causing more misery for passengers who were hit with a 24-hour strike by London Underground workers yesterday.
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