GTR STATEMENT AT THE CONCLUSION OF HIGH COURT PROCEEDINGS

GTR STATEMENT AT THE CONCLUSION OF HIGH COURT PROCEEDINGS

We are pleased that the Court has granted us an injunction that ASLEF must not induce our drivers to refuse to operate the new 12 car trains. Gatwick Express services have operated without conductors operating the doors for seventeen years, so we were never able to understand why the ASLEF Union objected to the operation of these new trains in the same way.

The new trains will offer significant benefits to passengers including a much better travelling environment. We plan that by June 50% of weekday services will operate with 12 cars and we will now commence their introduction into service.

We took this action with great reluctance but were left with no alternative by the approach of the ASLEF Union. In respect of the other disputes presently ongoing, we hope this ruling today will influence the trade unions to come back to the negotiating table and avoid going ahead with any unnecessary and damaging strike action on this or any other issue.