Union industrial action to cause “severe and significant” disruption to services

Southern Railway is warning customers to expect “severe and significant” disruption to Southern and Gatwick Express services every day from next Tuesday when industrial action by ASLEF and RMT unions begins.

Commuters will face major delays from Tuesday (6 December) when Southern drivers begin a ban on overtime working and conductors start a new three-day strike. On 13 December, drivers will begin the first wave of nine days of strike action planned.

However, Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), Southern’s parent company, has applied to the High Court to stop the ASLEF strikes, with the hearing likely to be heard next week. See notes to editors for strike dates.

Southern is advising that ASLEF’s continuous drivers’ overtime ban from 6 December will severely affect services every day. On RMT strike days this will result in only around 50% of the full timetable being able to operate.

If the ASLEF strikes go ahead, on these days no Southern services will operate, with only Thameslink services to Three Bridges and Brighton and a limited service on Gatwick Express.

In summary:

• From Tuesday 6 December until further notice:
• West London Line services are all cancelled
• London Bridge - Beckenham Junction services are all cancelled
• Brighton - Seaford services are all cancelled. Buses will operate Lewes – Seaford
• Other metro services will also be reduced.

Further details will be available on the Southern website www.southernrailway.com later.

If drivers’ strikes take place (first planned date is 13 December) there will be:

• No Southern service
• Gatwick Express every 30 minutes Victoria - Gatwick
• Thameslink will operate normally but be exceptionally busy

Crowd control arrangements will be in place at stations that have a service

Southern Director Alex Foulds said: “Regrettably, because of this wholly unnecessary and unjustified industrial action, there will be severe and significant disruption on our network from next Tuesday and customers are advised that stations will be incredibly busy.

"If passengers can make alternative travel arrangements they should, and if they don’t have to travel they shouldn’t. If the drivers’ strikes go ahead, there will be no services on Southern and customers should not attempt to travel.

“We’re doing everything we can to stop the drivers’ strike and that’s why we are seeking an injunction in the High Court next week. This industrial action is a clearly co-ordinated and cynical manoeuvre by the unions to bring yet further travel misery to passengers as well as having a detrimental impact on the regional economy when it least needs it.

"If the unions are listening to passengers then they will call off all industrial action now and give hardworking commuters and their families their lives back.”

Thameslink services are not directly affected by the strike action, although these services are expected to be extremely busy.
Other operators' services are not affected, but are likely to be busier.

Online journey planners will be updated only 24 hours before the strike date in question. Customers are advised to check regularly for travel updates at southernrailway.com/strike.

ends