news
xmas stoppage hits southern
by paula Bedminster that drivers accepted the pay offer, which it said was
Jim Morgan has now left
Train drivers at Southern are planning a 24-hour strike worth five per cent over two years.
first Capital Connect.
in a dispute over Bank Holiday pay. The union Aslef The improved pay offer followed three weeks of
said that its members at Southern will refuse to work cancelling more than a third of its services each day.
on 28 December because they are not getting extra The union said drivers were not taking industrial
pay for working on that day. action but merely exercising their contractual right
Drivers are claiming the day should be treated as not to work overtime or on rest days.
a Bank Holiday because it is in lieu of Boxing Day, From the middle of November, the operator was
which falls on a Saturday in 2009. The Toc responded only able to run 62 per cent of trains using drivers on
with a statement saying: ‘Southern continues to work a normal roster. Passengers complained that adoption
hard to avoid what would be an extremely disruptive of an ‘emergency’ timetable meant the train operator
strike for our passengers.’ could declare that the missing trains were not
Meanwhile, the threat of a strike by 550 train officially cancelled. The previous pay offer, rejected by to three days a week. Lord Adonis, told the House
drivers on First Capital Connect ended on 8 Aslef, would have given drivers no pay rise this year of Lords: ‘It is totally unacceptable that passengers
December when union leaders recommended and either one per cent above inflation or three per are being held to ransom in this way. There is no
acceptance of an improved pay offer. Aslef members cent in total next year. justification whatsoever for the concerted action on
had been voting on whether to launch industrial During the dispute, acting managing director Jim the part of the train drivers.’
action on services through London between Brighton Morgan left the company, with FirstGroup’s head An FCC spokesman said: ‘We are working jointly
and Bedford and to Peterborough, Cambridge and of rail, Mary Grant, taking personal charge. She was with Aslef to encourage our drivers to resume rest
King’s Lynn. The union said it was recommending said to be at the London commuter operator for two day and overtime working.’
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Boris Johnson and lord eU passenGer refUnD
adonis launch the start of
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Crossrail’s drilling.
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Millions of rail passengers are
being denied the right to claim
a cash refund if their train is late,
because the government has
delayed implementation of new EU
consumer protection legislation.
The rights came into force across
most of Europe on 1 December.
The rules would have increased
the compensation due to passengers
if their train runs more than an hour
late. It would have risen from 20
to 25 per cent of the ticket price.
Passengers whose train was more
than two hours late would have
received a 50 per cent refund, with
a 100 per cent refund if the journey
Crossrail announCes shortlist
was cancelled.
Train operators would have had to
for running tunnels ContraCts
pay cash instead of vouchers. They
would also have been required to
provide refreshments for passengers
Crossrail has confirmed the shortlist of bidders for Publication marks the beginning of tendering for stranded or badly delayed.
two principal tunnelling contracts totalling 18km two of the three central London, Crossrail-managed, The legislation is an attempt
of twin-bore tunnel – Package C300 for Western bored tunnel contracts, which are expected to be by the EU to give rail passengers
Running Tunnels and Package C305 for Eastern awarded by mid-2010. comparable rights to airline
Running Tunnels. l Arrow Connect and Tramlink Nottingham, two passengers. One per cent of trains in
Organisations included in the shortlisted joint consortia comprising some of Europe’s leading Britain – 62,640 – were cancelled last
ventures are Balfour Beatty and Morgan Est; BAM transport providers, have prequalified to tender year. A further 21,000 were between
Nuttall and Keir; Costain and Skanska; Dragados to build Net Phase Two and operate an extended 30 minutes and two hours late.
and John Sisk; and Laing O’Rourke and Bouygues. Nottingham tram network.
JANUARY 2010 : rail professional 9
RPJan10 pp08-09 News.indd 9 10/12/09 15:14:36
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