Auto delay repay? No way: Southeastern won’t automatically refund customers using its celebrated ticketless smartcard, says bidder December 9, 2016 One of the bidders in the running for the Southeastern train franchise says it will not provide automatic compensation to delayed customers, despite a sector-wide push to ensure passengers are more swiftly and fairly compensated, City A.M. can exclusively reveal. Govia, which is in line to team-up with Network Rail to run the Southeastern franchise, [...]
Southern commuters launch legal claim as DfT faces fresh scrutiny over its handling of the crisis with National Audit Office investigation February 1, 2017 Southern rail commuters announced today they have launched a legal claim in an attempt to force the government to take action over the service. An application for a judicial review of the Department for Transport's (DfT) handling of the crisis has been filed by lawyers for the Association of British Commuters. A group spokesperson said: "It is right that [...]
DfT says the requirement for driver-only operated trains wasn’t consulted on before the letting of Southern Rail franchise November 7, 2016 The department for transport (DfT) has confirmed the requirement for driver-only operated (DOO) trains was not consulted on prior to the letting of the Southern Rail franchise. Facing a grilling by the transport select committee as it met to discuss the subject of rail franchising, Peter Wilkinson, managing director of passenger services at the DfT [...]
Union leaders are their own worst enemy December 19, 2016 As the country prepares to power down for Christmas, a number of trades unions are flexing their muscles and powering up their strike activity. As PWC’s Tom Kerr Williams notes, for unionised labour “a good time to react is at Christmas when most employers will be under pressure to keep customers happy”. One can't deny the [...]
Govia launches legal action against Aslef union to stop industrial action on Southern rail December 1, 2016 Govia Thameslink Railway, the parent company of Southern Rail, has launched legal action against Aslef union to stop industrial action. The union has planned strikes on the Southern Rail line in the days before Christmas, and will also stage a walk out in January next year. In the vote, the results of which were announced on [...]
Combined Tube and Southern strike action to set up Christmas chaos October 26, 2016 More good news for Christmas commuters: not only has the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union confirmed it will ballot 3,500 London Underground workers for strike action, it’s also balloting drivers on Southern Rail. The ballot will open next Friday on the 4 November and close on the 18 November, mirroring the timetable planned for [...]
TfL Tube strike and First Great Western, Southern, Northern train strikes: There’s going to be major disruption in the next week – but commuters could claim millions back in compensation July 8, 2015 Having called off the Network Rail strike in May, union bosses have been busy planning a "perfect storm" of rail and Tube strikes – conveniently timed to start on the same day as George Osborne’s summer Budget. From July 8th to 17th, strikes have been scheduled by London Underground, First Great Western, Southern Rail [...]
Severe delays on Victoria Line, District Line and Piccadilly Line – and TfL has warned Brixton station is very congested December 13, 2016 There are severe delays across the Tube network this morning, with services disrupted on the Victoria Line, the District Line, and (of course) the Piccadilly Line. There is currently no Victoria Line service between Brixton and Victoria due to a signal failure at Brixton, with severe delays on the rest of the line. https://twitter.com/victorialine/status/808573905447321601 And [...]
London Underground Tube drivers announce 24-hour strike starting 6 December – the same day as the next Southern walkout November 24, 2016 London Underground Tube drivers will go on strike for 24 hours in December, the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union has announced today. The strike, which relates to drivers on the Piccadilly and Hammersmith and City Lines, will start at 21:30 on 6 December – the same day Southern workers are also due to go on [...]
Train strike: Transport for London warns commuters of disruption from bank holiday Network Rail walkout May 21, 2015 UPDATE: The RMT has followed the TSSA union in suspending strike action after an improved offer from Network Rail. The nationwide Network Rail strike on bank holiday Monday will cause some Transport for London (TfL) services to also suffer delays and disruption. A 24-hour walk out has been called by rail union bosses from 5pm on Monday 25 May, [...]