Remove the franchise for Southern Rail from Govia Thameslink.

[Azira]

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/116904

Govia Thameslink took over the franchise for Southern Rail in July 2015. Since then the services on most lines have deteriorated to the extent that they cannot be allowed to continue to run the franchise. During the last weeks prior to Christmas, services were simply not fit for purpose.

[Jeremy]

Yesterday evening, two trains in a row were cancelled and the third was delayed by 15 mins. There was very little information available to the waiting passengers. Friday evening was a similar story. The "lack of staff" and "conductor sickness" excuses they are using are insulting.

[Loz]

There is currently a war between the unions and Southern over staffing, with staff calling in 'sick' as part of some surreptitious campaign. The RMT is striking today as part of the same war.

[Jeremy]

That is one story. One rumour is that Southern/Govia/whoever have banned staff from doing overtime or swapping shifts, in some sort of tit-for-tat move, which is why there's never any staff available.

Highly doubt today's strike will make any noticeable difference to the disgraceful level of service.

[Azira]

FOAD, I was quoting the blurb for the petition in the OP.

I've heard that too Jeremy but it doesn't make much sense. One of the complaints I'd heard from staff before this conductor issue was that they were running the staffing timetables in reliance on overtime, meaning there was no slack. It's hard to believe Southern would be deliberately banning OT etc as it would be making a rod for their own back. This must be costing them a small fortune in delay compensation alone.

If they are now working to rule, the Union members would be crippling the service. That does seem to make it unofficial industrial action.

[ED_moots]

Signed. Terrible service for ages\years. I have also read that southern have no slack in their staffing capacity and have not hired and trained enough staff over the years. No doubt they are culpable. However the unions are just punishing commuters and living in the past. Cannot stand their bullying tactics. The work at London bridge has also had a much bigger impact that anyone admitted particularly for services arriving at platform 15. Fewer trains run than before the works started with regular disruption. Network Rail and Southern should be ashamed and the compensation policy is totally inadequate.

[Azira]

For those who haven't clicked the link, the petition is only a few hundred shy of the 10K mark and will close in 8 days.

[Azira]

How is this not directly relevant to ED??

[miga]

They should remove any service from Govia Thameslink. Service levels sound like standard Thameslink.

[WorkingMummy]

Thanks for this - will sign