Southern plans new resilient timetable if ASLEF drivers' overtime ban goes ahead

Southern Railway plans to operate a revised timetable that would give passengers more reliable services if drivers belonging to the union ASLEF begin an overtime ban on Thursday 29 June.

The rail firm plans to operate 75% of its weekday services on Thursday and Friday, 29 and 30 June, and is working to improve on this number from Monday 3 July. This will create a timetable with stability and consistency. Passengers are advised to expect a reduced service on certain routes and to allow extra time for their journeys.

More information is being published at www.southernrailway.com/dispute. Online journey planners will be updated next week.

Southern Passenger Services Director Angie Doll said: “This action is going to be very inconvenient to our passengers and communities but by putting in this revised timetable we will be able to run a more reliable and consistent service.

“We've been safely running our trains with drivers closing the doors on additional routes since January and have had six months of sustained improvement in service levels and positive passenger feedback.

“We urge ASLEF to put an end to their industrial action and allow passengers to get on with their lives.”

Passenger numbers have doubled in 12 years on Southern routes into London making the Southern network the most congested in the country by far. Southern says it has to transform and modernise the way it does things to manage capacity and keep people moving.

Thameslink services are not directly affected by the industrial action, although these services are expected to be extremely busy.

In summary:

Thursday and Friday, 29 and 30 June: Most routes will retain a Southern train service, including Seaford. On other routes, we have arranged ticket acceptance with other operators. Key alterations include:

• No off-peak Gatwick Express service between Gatwick Airport and Brighton (but a limited peak service will operate)
• Gatwick Express services will operate to an amended timetable between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport
• No Southern service to/from Beckenham Junction
• No service between East Croydon and Milton Keynes Central via Kensington Olympia (a limited peak service will operate between Clapham Junction and Watford Junction)
• No direct service between London and either Portsmouth or Southampton (a change of trains will be required)
• Very limited peak services between Tulse Hill, Peckham Rye and London Bridge
• No Southern peak-only service to/from Guildford
• No Southern peak-only service to/from Wimbledon
• An hourly service will operate between Seaford and Brighton
• A reduced peak service between Ashford International and Hastings

Weekends, from 1 July: Southern will run its normal timetable but services will be reduced and the number will vary weekend to weekend. For information about these services, please visit www.southernrailway.com/dispute.

Mondays to Fridays from Monday 3 July until further notice: Most routes will retain a Southern train service and significantly more services will be running from Monday 3 July than on Thursday 29 and Friday 30 June. The key alterations are:

• Most services on the following routes will be restored:
• Gatwick Express services between London Victoria and Brighton - the full Gatwick Express service will operate
• West London Line services between East Croydon and Milton Keynes Central via Kensington Olympia and Watford Junction
• Brighton to Seaford services will operate every 30 minutes
• Direct services between London and Portsmouth / Southampton
• Peak-only services between London Bridge and Guildford

The following services will not operate:

• Ashford to Rye / Hastings peak-hour additional services (*)
• Brighton to Lewes shuttle services (*)
• Brighton to Hove shuttle services (*)
• London Bridge to London Victoria via Crystal Palace (*)
• London Victoria to Epsom via Mitcham Junction (*)
• London Bridge to Beckenham Junction via Crystal Palace
• Off peak London Victoria to Reigate and Tonbridge services will be replaced by a Tonbridge to Reigate (via Redhill) service (*)
• Off peak fast services between Redhill and London will not operate (*)
• On other routes, a limited number of services will also not run.

(*) On these routes, alternative Southern services will be available, but the overall frequency of service will be reduced and passengers may have to make a change of trains to complete their journey.

On routes with a reduced or withdrawn service, passengers are advised to travel at less busy times if possible and to allow extra time for their journey, especially where it involves using another operator.

Southern are continuing to explore every avenue to restore further services where possible. Passengers are advised to check regularly for travel updates at www.southernrailway.com/dispute.

Ends

Notes to editors
Facts about drivers and overtime

1. In agreement with the unions, Southern employs a set number of drivers (around 1,000) and those positions are filled, although there is constant training to replace those who leave. We can lose a driver to another operator or retirement with three months' notice or less in some cases and it takes over a year to train a replacement.
2. Drivers work a 35-hour, 4-day week and working rest days and overtime is standard practice in the industry. It allows rail operators to manage their people flexibly to ensure the most efficient railway possible.
3. Southern uses overtime and rest day working to cover training requirements, sickness and other, day-to-day issues. Southern has struck a balance between drivers’ desire to earn extra money and our desire to work more efficiently, which has worked well for everybody until recently.
4. Since January 2015 Southern has brought in 169 more drivers and has 118 more at various stages of training who continue to graduate steadily from the 12-18 month process to replace those who leave.