MANY Southern routes have no services today as members of the RMT stage the first of a two-day strike in protest at plans to extend driver-only operation.
There are no Southern trains on most local lines, including Clapham Junction to Milton Keynes Central, Dorking to Horsham, Oxted to Uckfield, Haywards Heath to Lewes, Preston Park to Hove, Lewes to Seaford, Eastbourne to Ashford International, Chichester to Havant, Portsmouth Harbour and Southampton Central, Redhill to Tonbridge and Redhill to Reigate.
Main lines will mostly have a limited service, and trains will stop running by 18.30. Southern has warned that other services, such as Thameslink and Gatwick Express, will be busier than usual.
The RMT has set out what it described as the 'core points' in the dispute: 'the removal of conductors from trains, safety under threat and the company putting profit before safety'.
The union's general secretary Mick Cash said: "Let us be crystal clear – this dispute is about safety and the safety-critical role of the guards on Southern trains. The company, with an eye on ever-fatter profits, is prepared to axe the guards on some of the most overcrowded and potentially-dangerous services in Britain so that they can squeeze every last penny out of their passengers regardless of the consequences. That is a lethal gamble with safety in the name of profit and that is why we have been forced to take strike action."
Souther, which is part of Govia Thameslink Railway, has denied that its plans will affect safety.
In a message to passengers, the company said: "We are disappointed that it has come to this, especially as we have been at pains to assure all of our conductors that there will be no job losses or reduction in salary as a result of the improvements we want to make on board our trains. This strike action is completely unnecessary and damaging.
"On our more modern trains, we want to evolve the conductor role into one of an on-board supervisor, who is more visible to more passengers, travelling on more parts of the network, delivering high-quality customer service and checking tickets. There would be as many trains running with staff on board as they do now - but you will see more of them than you do now because they will have more time and opportunity to offer good quality customer service.
"Currently, conductors on our more modern trains have to be in certain parts of the train to close the doors -- sometimes interrupting their time with a passenger. However, on these trains, there is no need to do this and the driver is able to operate the doors aided by CCTV, which gives them a clear view of every door on the train.
"In addition to the benefits of evolving the conductors' role above, trains that don't need a conductor won't rely on a second member of staff for the train to run, and in times of disruption, that's really going to help trains run on time – something we are passionate about."
Unless the dispute is resolved more disruption lies ahead next month, because further walkouts have been called from 10 to 13 May.
There was better news for London Underground passengers. Planned walkouts on the Piccadilly line called for today and Thursday have been suspended after 'progress' with talks over the safety of passengers and staff on the 40-year old fleet and also claims by the RMT that some of its members had been bullied. However, RMT general secretary Mick Cash warned that 'the dispute is not over yet'.