SOUTHERN has published the details of an emergency timetable which will come into force next Monday (11 July) in a bid to boost reliability by advertising fewer trains.
Southern said it was 'the best thing we can do', but a rail union has condemned the move as 'crisis management'.
Almost one in six services -- a total of 341 -- will be lost each day, as the company continues to battle with high levels of conductor sickness and the long-running dispute with the unions over extensions of driver-only operation, which has already led to several 24-hour strikes this year and is showing no signs of a resolution soon.
Southern's owner Govia Thameslink Railway is at deadlock with the RMT in an argument over whether DOO is safe. GTR has pointed out that most of its services have been DOO for many years, while the RMT has reaffirmed that will oppose any extensions. The union has also announced several further strikes on ScotRail over the same issue.
The reduced Southern timetable from next Monday includes the suspension of Southern's hourly services between Clapham Junction and Milton Keynes Central via the West London line, Harrow and Watford. This route is also served by London Overground and London Midland, but only in sections. Other timetables will be cut back. They include the Coastway routes, with buses replacing most trains between Seaford and Lewes, many fewer through trains between Brighton and Southampton, and a reduced off-peak service between Tonbridge and Redhill.
Southern said the changes would preserve 95 per cent of the peak capacity at London Victoria, with London Bridge maintaining 86 per cent in the mornings and 84 per cent in the evenings.
The company has been under increasing fire over widespread cancellations in recent weeks. The Labour Party today (5 July) called for the Govia Thameslink Railway franchise to be terminated, echoing similar calls from the rail unions and angry MPs.
Southern has labelled the dispute as 'entirely unnecessary', pointing out that more than 40 per cent of Southern services are already DOO, and that DOO is standard on Thameslink, Great Northern and Gatwick Express, although there is still a related dispute with ASLEF about working new 12-car trains on the Gatwick route as DOO.
Southern passenger services director Alex Foulds said: “We are introducing this temporary weekday revised timetable with reluctance but it is the best thing we can do for our passengers who have been suffering daily cancellations ever since this dispute with the RMT began, and for which we are sincerely sorry.
“It should give the majority of our passengers a better, more consistent service that they can plan around. Whilst our first priority is our passengers, we also understand that this has been a difficult time for our staff. Conductors already know that their jobs are guaranteed, that there will be no reduction in salary and that the independent rail safety body has confirmed our plans are safe.
“Now, after listening to our staff, we have also decided to restore leisure travel benefits. All of this, we believe, should help our staff feel able to return to work and so reduce the issues causing the current high level of train cancellations.”
The RMT, meanwhile, is staying firm. The union's general secretary Mick Cash reacted to the timetable cuts by saying: “This is crisis management on Britain's biggest rail franchise, a franchise that is now in terminal meltdown. The continuing attempt to blame this gross mismanagement on the front line staff is a cynical and cowardly ploy by a company who have chosen to wage war on their passengers and workforce alike.
“The managers at GTR pay themselves fat salaries and bonuses, in reward for failure on an epic scale, while the staff on the trains and platforms are left to take the blame for the bosses' incompetence.
“This so-called emergency timetable enables Govia to cancel 15 per cent of their trains and rig their appalling performance figures to protect their profits.
“Instead of conniving with this scandal the Government should fire GTR and immediately instruct the legal, public-sector fall-back operation to take over.”
Southern said compensation for delays would be 'set against normal and revised timetables'.
Revised strike dates in the ScotRail DOO dispute have also been announced by the RMT, following another walkout on 3 July. Stoppages have been called for 10,11,14,16 and 17 July.