Information for GTR Southern passengers during strike (no DOO discussion)

[bengley]

http://www.rmt.org.uk/news/members-...sion-of-doo--southern-gtr280716/?preview=true

5 day strike announced - 8-12th August.

 

[Deepgreen]

http://www.rmt.org.uk/news/members-...sion-of-doo--southern-gtr280716/?preview=true

5 day strike announced - 8-12th August.

Well, that pretty much decides when I take some more leave!

Excuse my ignorance in these matters, but having read the RMT letter, it talks of the union "instructing" members to strike, but makes no mention of ballot results. Has one taken place? I would assume it would have to in order for the strike to be legal.

 

[bengley]

Of course, the ballot took place before the April strikes

 

[Deepgreen]

Of course, the ballot took place before the April strikes

OK - does that give carte blanche for further action as decided by the union leaders then? I would have thought that each strike would need a fresh ballot, especially given the much longer period in question this time, but may be wrong.

 

[bengley]

OK - does that give carte blanche for further action as decided by the union leaders then? I would have thought that each strike would need a fresh ballot, especially given the much longer period in question this time, but may be wrong.

It's the same dispute

 

[GodAtum]

hopefully i can make it to work like last time.

 

[Deepgreen]

It's the same dispute

Yes - I understand that, but my question is; under the same dispute, do the union leaders have 'carte blanche' to call any action they like - say, to take an extreme example - a three month strike? What redress do the members have in that sort of case, where they may object to such a long strike and loss of earnings?

I not coming at this question with any agenda; just wanting to understand the process.

 

[bengley]

Yes - I understand that, but my question is; under the same dispute, do the union leaders have 'carte blanche' to call any action they like - say, to take an extreme example - a three month strike? What redress do the members have in that sort of case, where they may object to such a long strike and loss of earnings?

I not coming at this question with any agenda; just wanting to understand the process.

If enough members oppose it the union can make changes - they have done in the past with this dispute.

 

[PHILIPE]

Post #1 of the thread:-

As a Southern commuter - I'd like to start a thread regarding the actual impact of the strikes on train services, so I can plan ahead. There's a long and detailed discussion in this thread about DOO - http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=129551. Please keep discussion of the causes of the strike to that thread - but please can we use this thread to discuss the impact on train services.

 

[MK Tom]

I thought passengers for stations beyond the West London Line had to use the Overground and weren't allowed to use the Underground or does that only apply to stations other than Watford Junction and Milton Keynes.

The board is telling passengers to travel via Victoira and Euston. I'm not heading that way myself so won't be finding out.

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As I understand ticket acceptance is in place on LM from Euston but no idea if that includes Underground validity.

 

[infobleep]

As I understand ticket acceptance is in place on LM from Euston but no idea if that includes Underground validity.

I guess one could walk between the stations. It takes about an hour or at least I did when I walked from Victoria to nearish Euston one time.

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[DelayRepay]

I guess one could walk between the stations. It takes about an hour ...

Many Southern commuters would probably consider an hour's walk to be a vast improvement on the current service!

 

[RichardKing]

I wonder if there are any plans in place to run additional services to/from Eastbourne on Thursday (11 August) and Friday (12 August) to facilitate spectators of the Airshow.

I think, based on previous experience of strike-days, the trains out of Eastbourne normally stop at approximately 18:00; this won't please the high numbers of people wanting to travel back home later on in the evening! I've heard that Brighton & Hove buses will be accepting tickets between Eastbourne and Brighton, but it will take a lot of buses to get everyone away!

 

[Bishopstone]

Brighton & Hove Albion have two, evening, home games over this period: Tuesday and Friday.

The last time a strike day coincided with a BHAFC match evening, a few football specials ran in addition to the skeleton timetable, though that was before the bustitution of Seaford branch services.

 

[infobleep]

I see the 23.58 and 0.25 services to Bedford and the 0.42 service to East Croydon, all from Haywards Heath, have been cancelled tonight. Given they are the only trains heading north, how would passengers get norrh? Would Govia lay on taxis. The 23.58 and 0.42 services are cancelled due to driver shortages and the 0.25 is cancelled due to. crew shortages, which must also be driver related.

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[bengley]

I see the 23.58 and 0.25 services to Bedford and the 0.42 service to East Croydon, all from Haywards Heath, have been cancelled tonight. Given they are the only trains heading north, how would passengers get norrh? Would Govia lay on taxis. The 23.58 and 0.42 services are cancelled due to driver shortages and the 0.25 is cancelled due to. crew shortages, which must also be driver related.

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If there is no alternative then yes, taxis should be provided.

 

[infobleep]

If there is no alternative then yes, taxis should be provided.

I wonder if they were then. That's a lot of taxis as those trains won't be empty.

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[Bishopstone]

Per a news item on the Southern website, GTR are now advising Brighton Pride attendees, this Saturday, to 'consider alternative travel arrangements' in light of anticipated cancellations.

Frankly, you would be mad to drive into Brighton this weekend - it's bad enough on an average Saturday, without road closures - so unless you're close enough to walk or cycle, the advice is tantamount to asking people to stay away.

 

[neilm]

Per a news item on the Southern website, GTR are now advising Brighton Pride attendees, this Saturday, to 'consider alternative travel arrangements' in light of anticipated cancellations.

Frankly, you would be mad to drive into Brighton this weekend - it's bad enough on an average Saturday, without road closures - so unless you're close enough to walk or cycle, the advice is tantamount to asking people to stay away.

I know! Ridiculous to consider other options since most of the roads are closed and there website says:

"Get to Brighton on the cheap and reliable Thameslink service which runs every 30 minutes from London St Pancras and London Blackfriars to Brighton."

 

[mugam4]

Any ideas of how I should travel from Brighton to London with a bike on Thursday? Their site says

non-folding bicycles will not be permitted on any Thameslink, Southern or Gatwick Express service on days affected by the strike.

Southern guards that give a damn seem to be rare these days. But any ideas of how I get a bike to London?

 

[Bishopstone]

Any ideas of how I should travel from Brighton to London with a bike on Thursday?

1. GWR to Havant (twice a day?) then SWT to Waterloo.

2. Book a minibus type vehicle from a private hire firm, large enough to accommodate the bike as luggage.

3. Ride it, via the back roads, either all the way or as far as Gatwick, from where other train connections should be possible to Dorking (with GWR) then SWT to Waterloo.

4. Find a man with a van.

5. Leave the bike somewhere secure in Brighton. Attend to your London business without your wheels, then return to retrieve the bike some time after the strike has ended.

6. <Naughty and immoral> Cycle to Preston Park station, hope it's unstaffed (afternoon, perhaps?), and innocently board a DOO Thameslink train.

7. Go by train yourself, and hire a rider for your bike to meet you in London (courier type of person). There must be an App for this, or should I move to Hoxton, grow a silly beard and create one?

 

[mugam4]

6. <Naughty and immoral> Cycle to Preston Park station, hope it's unstaffed (afternoon, perhaps?), and innocently board a DOO Thameslink train.

Genius! Thanks. I think GTR are also a bit naughty and immoral so this will only even us out. Cheers!

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Probably a daft question but have Southern/GTR put in any contigency plans for the upcoming strike week?

 

[infobleep]

Per a news item on the Southern website, GTR are now advising Brighton Pride attendees, this Saturday, to 'consider alternative travel arrangements' in light of anticipated cancellations.

Frankly, you would be mad to drive into Brighton this weekend - it's bad enough on an average Saturday, without road closures - so unless you're close enough to walk or cycle, the advice is tantamount to asking people to stay away.

If there is loads of cancellations on a Saturday, how about implementing an emergency timetable so passengers know what to expect. I hear it's been a reasonable success when used by a certain rail company on Mondays to Fridays.

Did anyone venture to Brighton? How was it?

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[BRblue]

If there is loads of cancellations on a Saturday, how about implementing an emergency timetable so passengers know what to expect. I hear it's been a reasonable success when used by a certain rail company on Mondays to Fridays.

Did anyone venture to Brighton? How was it?

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And this is where GTR use the scaremonger technique, there were not that many cancellations yesterday in fact they were even using 8 car trains instead of the usual 3 to provide additional capacity.

 

[sarahj]

And this is where GTR use the scaremonger technique, there were not that many cancellations yesterday in fact they were even using 8 car trains instead of the usual 3 to provide additional capacity.

Lol, I got to work and my first train, the 13.33 Brighton to Southampton was canx, then later I worked a Ore to Vic train. As I left Hastings, the next train towards Bexhill and Eastbourne was in an hour.

Pride was the usual chaos. Everyone trying to get home at 11 for the last trains coupled with an odd set up at the station. Glad I was done by nine.

 

[BRblue]

Lol, I got to work and my first train, the 13.33 Brighton to Southampton was canx, then later I worked a Ore to Vic train. As I left Hastings, the next train towards Bexhill and Eastbourne was in an hour.

Pride was the usual chaos. Everyone trying to get home at 11 for the last trains coupled with an odd set up at the station. Glad I was done by nine.

I was done by 8 so what happened after I don't know and I don't really care.

 

[GodAtum]

At Clapham Junction on the overbridge for platforms 9/10, the crowd management guys were giving people wrong directions. They were telling people to keep right, when it says clearly on the stairs to keep left :roll:

 

[cookie365]

I need to travel from London to Brighton tomorrow at about 1pm - anyone know what the experience has been like so far around that time?

Last time I had to travel off peak on a weekday from Victoria during a Southern guards strike the train was virtually empty.

I'm not sure whether to use the TL from St Pancras or Southern from Victoria, either's just as easy for me to get to.

 

[Muzz]

There's currently the potential for a riot at Three Bridges, the 17.03 shuttle from Victoria arrived 12 minutes late. The doors released seconds after the last shuttle train for Chichester left.

Just been a PA announcement apologising, saying the train "self dispatched"