Meanwhile, the Southern Rail Industrial Dispute...

Two days ago, rail workers from the RMT union (more stoppage days coming up in May!), commuters' representatives and disability campaigners held a protest outside the Houses of Parliament; see BBC Report. This marked the anniversary of 2 years of industrial action and campaigning against Southern Railway wanting trains staffed only by drivers, and at the behest of the Department of Transport!

Meanwhile, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has slammed the "broken model of rail franchising" lauded by the Government and the Transport Minister, Chris Grayling! The PAC Report slams the Government's (mis) management of two of the rail franchises, our very own Govia Thameslink franchise running Southern (and Thameslink and Great Northern) and the privatised, renationalised because it was failing and then making money whilst nationalised, then sold off and now failing again under the franchise system, the East Coast franchise! 

The Chair of the PAC, Meg Hillier said "the Government appears to have seen its task as simply to contract out the service, with wholly inadequate consideration given to passengers' best interests... The franchising model is broken and passengers are paying the price." See the PAC Report at the Parliament website for more.

Couldn't agree more Meg, amen to that!

The Southern Railway Fiasco Trundles On!

The Department for Transport (DfT) has announced that the owners of Southern Railway, Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), have been fined £13.4m for poor performance, explaining that the fine would have been higher, but most delays had not been the fault of the railway company! The transport secretary, Chris Grayling said that the £13.4m was to be spent on performance and passenger improvements, including £4m to fund 50 on-board supervisors over the next two years, adding that passengers had "been badly let down." Indeed, the train operator now runs only three-quarters of the trains that were run a year ago by Southern!

The Association of British Commuters (ABC) had taken legal action seeking a judicial review, as detailed in a previous blog. They had argued that ministers had acted unlawfully by failing to determine whether managers had breached franchise obligations. However, Mr Justice Ouseley said he would not grant a judicial review on the understanding that Mr Grayling would come to a decision over the Southern rail crisis by 13 July, well, he's come to a decision! Emily Yates, of ABC, said the fine "doesn't really touch the sides of this whole issue. This is a token £13.4m fine presented as an improvement package." See report.

However, the drivers' union, Aslef, continues with its own 'work to rule' or overtime ban, and, following a vote of all members, has called for strikes on Tuesday 1st, Wednesday 2nd, and Friday 4th of August 2017; see report. 

So, the Government, which has been funding Southern/GTR's escalating industrial conflict with the drivers' and conductors' unions, Aslef and the RMT, 'fines' the company, but gives the money back to them for 'performance and passenger improvements.' No solution has been found to ABC's assertion that the company has continued to 'breach franchise obligations' and Grayling retains his job, as do GTR retain the franchise. Meanwhile, customers who use Southern Railway, when possible, continue to receive a worsening service...

It's time to sack the Transport Secretary, who obviously cannot do his job without politically interfering in the industrial conflict, thus making it worse, and it's time to take the franchise away from GTR and re-nationalise Southern Railway, and quickly please!

Southern Rail Dispute Rumbles On...

Yesterday, Aslef (the drivers union) started their work to rule/overtime ban, the management estimated about 75% of Southern trains should have run, though expect that figure to become worse, especially later in the day, as the dispute continues. 

The legal case for a judicial review put by the Association of British Commuters (ABC) was rejected by the judge, though, on the understanding that the Transport Minister, Grayling, make a ruling on the case within 2 weeks; see Guardian website.

As I said recently (blog), seconds out! 

Southern Railway... Well, what can we do?

Whilst Aslef (the drivers' union) begins an overtime ban on the 29th June, the RMT (the conductors' union) considers its next steps, with plans to go on strike on the 10th of July: Mick Cash (RMT general secretary) said: "The spotlight is now well and truly back on the basket-case Southern rail franchise and their unconditional support from this minority government, regardless of the safety and service consequences." 

Meanwhile, the Association of British Commuters (ABC) will attend a hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice (High Court) on 29 June seeking a 'judicial review' of the situation, declaring that ministers have acted unlawfully by failing to determine whether managers had breached franchise obligations. Summer Dean of ABC asserted that "Passengers are the only people who still don't have a voice in this fiasco, and many thousands of them support us in our efforts to reveal the truth behind the Department for Transport's involvement in Southern Rail."

ABC seem to be wanting a voice; see BBC. 

So, ABC, Aslef and the RMT in the red corner, Southern Railway and the Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling, in the blue corner, seconds out. round twelve!

Southern Railway: Campaigners apply for Judicial Review!

Campaigners have applied for a judicial review into the government's handling of the Southern fiasco. Govia Thameslink (GTR) took on the Southern rail franchise in 2015 and its contract with the Department for Transport (DfT) runs for another 4 years! 

As I have regularly reported, there has been an industrial dispute with the RMT (conductors) getting on for a year, and now with the drivers union, Aslef, too. The Transport for All campaign group asserts that the Government should have done more to ease disruption; but, as I have regularly reported, the Government is funding GTR to beat the trade unions. A Department for Transport spokesperson said they are unable to comment while legal proceedings are ongoing. 

Transport for All, which campaigns for travellers with disabilities and older travellers, has joined the Association of British Commuters in requesting that a Judicial Review be held into the Department's handling of the Southern Railway dispute with the unions, particularly in respect to the impact on older travellers and travellers with disabilities. The Association of British Commuters has already applied for a review in January and is awaiting a decision from the Royal Court of Justice. 

A spokesperson for the campaign asserted: "Accessible public transport is a lifeline to inclusion for many disabled people who disproportionally rely on it to go about their everyday lives. The Southern rail crisis caused disruption and misery to disabled and older people, leaving many unable to travel to work and increasingly isolated. Yet throughout the strikes the DfT has remained silent." 

A spokesperson for Southern Railway said: "We aim to give excellent assistance and are very sorry to hear about these passenger experiences. Over 440,000 journeys were made on Southern with disability railcards last year and only a tiny fraction resulted in a complaint that assistance was not provided. We regularly carry out call-back surveys with disabled passengers and 'mystery shop' so that we can look at what we can change to improve."  

For more information see the Disability News Service website.