Southern Rail strike: 'Most trains to run yet' during 30th walkout

Southern commuters are bracing for another day if strike action
Rex Features
Dick Murray10 March 2017

Bosses at Southern Rail today pledged to run the most trains yet on Monday when RMT guards stage their 30th 24-hour strike.

In the most recent walkout last month Southern claimed to have operated almost 9 out of 10 trains – 87 per cent – but this time is planning to increase the figure.

Company sources said this is because more staff are defying the strike call and reporting for duty in the 11 month old dispute over changes to the role of the guard and the implementation of more driver-only operated (DOO) trains.

A Southern spokesman said: “We were able to run nearly 90% of our services for passengers during the RMT’s last strike day, helped by over half of our on-board staff who worked on the day and refused to strike.

"On Monday, we're aiming to run as close to a normal service for our passengers as we can.”

The RMT strongly disputed the figures as “bogus” and “rigged.”

Mick Cash, the RMT leader, said: “Instead of spinning fantasies about the continuing impact of the guards’ action on Southern Rail the company should be round the table with the union looking for a solution that protects safe operation and which underpins the guard guarantee on the Southern services.”

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