'˜Grim warning of imminent service collapse' across Southern rail network

Caroline Lucas, Brighton Pavilion MP, repeated her call for the Government to strip GTR of Southern train services (photo from Parliament.tv). SUS-160512-163900001

Government ministers were asked what action they were taking to avert the '˜imminent service collapse' across the Southern rail network by MPs.

Both the RMT union and train drivers’ union ASLEF are due to hold strikes over the coming weeks, with rail operator Govia Thameslink Railway telling passengers to plan for ‘severe and significant’ disruption to services from tomorrow (Tuesday December 6).

On the train drivers’ strike days no Southern services are expected to run, while ASLEF has told its members not to work any overtime starting from tomorrow.

Caroline Lucas, Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, tabled an urgent question on the situation in the House of Commons this afternoon (Monday December 5).

Paul Maynard rail minister continued to lay the majority of the blame for Southern's problems at the feet of the unions (photo from Parliament.tv). SUS-160512-163926001

She said the ‘grim warning of imminent service collapse comes on top of more than two years of rail chaos long before any strikes happened’, with some of her constituents in ‘tears of anger and frustration’.

Dr Lucas called on ministers to convene a meeting with the unions and GTR and for the Government to strip the operator of its management contract.

She concluded: “We have a catastrophic stalemate, what exactly is the minister going to do about this?”

Rail minister Paul Maynard replied: “The best thing she can do on behalf of her constituents is to speak to her close friends in the RMT and tell them to call off the disproportionate and unreasonable industrial action. That is the best contribution she could make.”

Andrew Tyrie Chichester MP said strike action on Southern services was 'all the more disgraceful at Christmas time' (photo from Parliament.tv). SUS-160512-163847001

Hove’s Labour MP Peter Kyle said: “Every single promise from that dispatch box has not improved the service one single iota over the last 18 months including today which is a non-strike day. The service was a complete shambles from Brighton to London.

“Will the minister get to his feet and just say he will do whatever it takes to improve this service?”

Mr Maynard replied: “I expect both GTR and Network Rail to address these underlying performance issues, but they can only do so if they are not faced with unwarranted, unjustifiable industrial action.”