Local MPs Amber Rudd, Member of Parliament for Hastings and Rye, and Huw Merriman, Member of Parliament for Bexhill and Battle, have reacted with concern following Southern’s announcement that it will institute a new timetable from next week in response to ongoing staffing issues.
The new timetable to improve the reliability of services will take effect from 11 July and it will see 341 out of the 2250 services Southern have scheduled per day temporarily removed from operation. Locally, this will mean a reduction in peak time trains between Hastings and Ashford International.
Amber commented “I support Southern’s aim to improve the reliability of the service. However, I remain extremely concerned for my constituents who travel on this route.”
While welcoming the move for more generous compensation arrangements for affected passengers which will be put in place, both MPs expressed concern that just allowing for the tickets of disrupted Southern travellers to be accepted on Southeastern services and putting in place rail replacement bus services would not be enough to mitigate the overcrowding this reduced timetable will cause.
Amber added “I would like to see the carriages which would have operated on cancelled services being used to increase the size of the trains which will run. This would at least offer my constituents some comfort that their needs as passengers are being considered by the company.”
“Ultimately, the trade union needs to end this action which has led to hugely damaging disruption for travellers and GTR need to make every effort to find a reasonable, negotiated settlement.”
The Transport Select Committee held an emergency inquiry in Parliament this week where Southern and the RMT Union were quizzed by Huw and other committee members. Huw described the inquiry as ''an opportunity for me to explain the disruption faced by our constituents, find out the areas of dispute between the union and management and urge both sides to get back together to resolve those same matters as quickly as possible." Huw added "I made it abundantly clear to both sides that we are sick and tired of the endless delays and cancellations and that it was to the union to accept that technology allows for staff to be deployed in roles which have now guaranteed by Southern for the remainder of their franchise. I also asked for a commitment from Southern that the trains which would be running will be run on time now that gaps have been made to the timetable. The committee will meet again if no resolution is reached."
