Southern Rail STRIKE details

[Bozza]

Every Southern train I have ever caught late(ish) at night is virtually guardless while it's moving as they very rarely venture out of the compartment at the rear of the train, except to check the doors at the virtually empty stations. If you think the existing guards provide any sort of security for lone travelling females at night then - in my experience - you're living in a parallel universe

Indeed. And Southern are saying there will still be a second person on trains, other than in exceptional circumstances which the RMT agree with. In fact this second person, free of having to worry about opening and closing doors, will be able to spend more time scaring off all the rapists who frequent these services.

 

[RM-Taylor]

Trains suspended between Lewes and Eastbourne due to a trespassing incident

 

[dazzer6666]

Every Southern train I have ever caught late(ish) at night is virtually guardless while it's moving as they very rarely venture out of the compartment at the rear of the train, except to check the doors at the virtually empty stations. If you think the existing guards provide any sort of security for lone travelling females at night then - in my experience - you're living in a parallel universe

Have to say unless I happen to be in the same carriage as the guard operating the doors, I very rarely see them, morning afternoon or night.

 

[Spiros]

Disagree and that's from my parallel universe where I drive a lot of those services and regularly need to call upon the guard to deal with any number of issues. Even if the guard is in the rear cab - some do and I'm never happy when they do - they are still there to respond and passengers know they are there and consequently act as a deterrent.

Mmmm, one view from the man who sits in the front cabin which seems to differ from the experience of the "customers". In many, many years of commuting and using trains between Brighton and Worthing I have witnessed aggro on about 3 or 4 occasions. Never has a guard intervened. The last time was about 3 years ago when someone brandished a knife in an argument in the carriage I was in - this was mid-late afternoon on a weekend. The guard was called. He immediately legged it to the end of the train and locked himself in until the train reached Lancing where the doors were kept shut for about 20 minutes to wait for a copper (presumably from BTP) to come and arrest the culprit at which point the guard "bravely" appeared. The large majority of "customers" were families like us who the guard (or driver) saw fit to lock up with the guy with the knife while he hid. Safety critical, my arse

 

[Boy Blue]

Not seen any doggers on trains - usually too cramped I'd think

Oh no, to late to edit my post, I meant 'Fare Dodgers'

 

[Ernest]

Indeed. And Southern are saying there will still be a second person on trains, other than in exceptional circumstances which the RMT agree with. In fact this second person, free of having to worry about opening and closing doors, will be able to spend more time scaring off all the rapists who frequent these services.

Why don't you pop down to Brighton Station on the way to the game tonight, introduce yourself and have a discussion with the RMT men instead of sitting behind your keyboard sneering at them.

That would be more classy.

 

[dazzer6666]

Why don't you pop down to Brighton Station on the way to the game tonight, introduce yourself and have a discussion with the RMT men instead of sitting behind your keyboard sneering at them.

That would be more classy.

 

[Deadly Danson]

Mmmm, one view from the man who sits in the front cabin which seems to differ from the experience of the "customers". In many, many years of commuting and using trains between Brighton and Worthing I have witnessed aggro on about 3 or 4 occasions. Never has a guard intervened. The last time was about 3 years ago when someone brandished a knife in an argument in the carriage I was in - this was mid-late afternoon on a weekend. The guard was called. He immediately legged it to the end of the train and locked himself in until the train reached Lancing where the doors were kept shut for about 20 minutes to wait for a copper (presumably from BTP) to come and arrest the culprit at which point the guard "bravely" appeared. The large majority of "customers" were families like us who the guard (or driver) saw fit to lock up with the guy with the knife while he hid. Safety critical, my arse

Funny, I was chatting to my neighbour yesterday who told me that a guard had protected her uncle from someone who had attacked him on a train recently. I didn't have time to ask for more details but she made it clear she couldn't understand why anyone would want to remove staff from the train.
And safety critical does not mean trying to fight someone with a knife.

 

[Diablo]

Why don't you pop down to Brighton Station on the way to the game tonight, introduce yourself and have a discussion with the RMT men instead of sitting behind your keyboard sneering at them.

That would be more classy.

The RMT men won`t be working then ?? Perhaps it`s time to find people who do want to help rail travellers and are willing to work, it does seem as if the unions and their members aren`t willing to do either.

 

[Bozza]

Why don't you pop down to Brighton Station on the way to the game tonight, introduce yourself and have a discussion with the RMT men instead of sitting behind your keyboard sneering at them.

That would be more classy.

a) I'm not going to the game tonight partly, although not entirely, due to the RMT's strike which, as you have indicated today some associated with the union disagree with.
b) If I were going to the game, I'd not be going anywhere near Brighton Station would I, due to that strike/no trains thing.

But thanks and that.

 

[Ernest]

The RMT men won`t be working then ?? Perhaps it`s time to find people who do want to help rail travellers and are willing to work, it does seem as if the unions and their members aren`t willing to do either.

There is a picket line and anyone on it will be more than willing to engage in a sensible conversation as well as hand out literature proving the need for a second safety trained person on board every train, if you're genuinely interested in the dispute go and speak to them and get a different viewpoint to what is being put out as the truth by GTR/SASTA

 

[Bozza]

Funny, I was chatting to my neighbour yesterday who told me that a guard had protected her uncle from someone who had attacked him on a train recently. I didn't have time to ask for more details but she made it clear she couldn't understand why anyone would want to remove staff from the train.
And safety critical does not mean trying to fight someone with a knife.

Southern do not want to remove people from the train either. They keep saying that.

 

[Diablo]

Funny, I was chatting to my neighbour yesterday who told me that a guard had protected her uncle from someone who had attacked him on a train recently. I didn't have time to ask for more details but she made it clear she couldn't understand why anyone would want to remove staff from the train.
And safety critical does not mean trying to fight someone with a knife.

What a coincidence I was chatting to my neighbour yesterday who told me that a fellow passenger had protected her uncle from someone who had attacked him on a train recently. I didn't have time to ask for more details but she made it clear she couldn't understand why anyone would need guards on the train.

 

[Deadly Danson]

Southern do not want to remove people from the train either. They keep saying that.

They keep saying a lot of things - mostly untrue. If they wanted to keep a guard on every train all they have to do is pair the guard and driver together for the day - job done. When the guards on Gatwick Express became OBS how long did they last? Same with Thameslink. It's duplicitous. How long do you honestly think it will be before they break their own rules about disruption? It's already happened with the drivers and the rules put in place during disruption. It's rubbish and not even subtle.

 

[Bozza]

They keep saying a lot of things - mostly untrue. If they wanted to keep a guard on every train all they have to do is pair the guard and driver together for the day - job done. When the guards on Gatwick Express became OBS how long did they last? Same with Thameslink. It's duplicitous. How long do you honestly think it will be before they break their own rules about disruption? It's already happened with the drivers and the rules put in place during disruption. It's rubbish and not even subtle.

Well if the union and those they represent are unwilling or unable to believe SASTA then rail passengers in the area are going to be ****ed for a long time to come it seems.

 

[Titanic]

They keep saying a lot of things - mostly untrue. If they wanted to keep a guard on every train all they have to do is pair the guard and driver together for the day - job done. When the guards on Gatwick Express became OBS how long did they last? Same with Thameslink. It's duplicitous. How long do you honestly think it will be before they break their own rules about disruption? It's already happened with the drivers and the rules put in place during disruption. It's rubbish and not even subtle.

if Gatwick Express and Thameslink are running successfully without OBS (and they seem to whenever I use their services)... what is different about Southern?

 

[Deadly Danson]

Well if the union and those they represent are unwilling or unable to believe SASTA then rail passengers in the area are going to be ****ed for a long time to come it seems.

I'm afraid so. All the time Southern keep ripping up agreements already put in place then no one will believe them unless they can give cast iron assurances.

 

[Deadly Danson]

if Gatwick Express and Thameslink are running successfully without OBS (and they seem to whenever I use their services)... what is different about Southern?

Sorry but been through this plenty of times on this thread even as recently as yesterday I think.

 

[Titanic]

Sorry but been through this plenty of times on this thread even as recently as yesterday I think.

In the spirit of customer service (yes I am one) perhaps you could back off from your 'don't give a shit' response and try and be helpful? I won't hold my breathe.

 

[DTES]

Sorry but been through this plenty of times on this thread even as recently as yesterday I think.

It has indeed. I'm not sure the question has been answered about the London to Brighton line yet - though I agree it has for the coastal services which apparently don't have dispatch monitors.