Train passengers face more disruption hell after unions vote for second walkout
Yesterday Southern, which carries 300,000 passengers a day, was forced to axe more than 946 of its 2,242 services
BELEAGUERED rail passengers face yet more disruption after workers yesterday voted for a second strike.
RMT chiefs stepped up a five-day walkout at Southern Railway while Virgin East Coast staff backed action over jobs, working conditions and safety.
The results of a third vote by station staff at Govia Thameslink, which includes Southern and Great Northern, over ticket office closures are expected next week.
Yesterday Southern, which carries 300,000 passengers a day, was forced to axe more than 946 of its 2,242 services — 42 per cent of trains.
The longest rail strike in nearly 50 years, called over driver-only trains, is estimated to have cost London alone £100million.
Brighton & Hove Albion said the walkout could set the football club back £250,000 by shutting its nearest station in the evenings — with another £50,000 having to be shelled out on buses and extra stewards.
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Rail minister Paul Maynard said: “It is clear unions do not care about the damage they are causing to the daily lives of passengers.”
Southern called for fresh talks and said it would meet the RMT at “any time, any place, anywhere”.
Passenger services director Alex Foulds said: “While the RMT union is hell-bent on disrupting our passengers’ lives with this needless strike, we continue to provide the best possible service we can in the circumstances.
“We urge them to call off this wretched strike and sit down and talk with us to end this dispute.”
One in five conductors have been turning up for work, despite RMT claims that support was “solid”.
The union said its executive will now consider the Virgin vote after 84 per cent of staff balloted said they backed strikes. Virgin Trains insisted contingency plans meant action would not hit timetables.
Meanwhile Aslef’s Tim van Tinteren said of the clash with Govia Thameslink: “It’s time to draw a line, dig the trenches and prepare for war.”
● THE RMT strike was legal despite only 393 of its 80,000 members being balloted.
In May, new rules made action illegal unless 50 per cent voted and 40 per cent of all members supported action.
But workers were balloted in April, before the legislation.
The union claims it would still have been legal as only guards have been balloted.