TRAIN passengers face a summer of misery with further strikes on the horizon after 620,000 journeys are affected today.

Rail bosses have said sorry to the hundreds of thousands of passengers who will have to grapple with cancelled and overcrowded trains as a result of conductor strikes today and tomorrow.

The entire Southern Railway network is set to face "significant disruptions" leaving hundreds thousands of passengers "frustrated" after members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union voted to strike in a row over changes to the roles of conductors.

The train operator warned they "cannot guarantee to get you to your destination" as they urged passengers to prepare for the network to be paralysed for 24 hours from 11am this morning.

The RMT union warned that in a stalemate with Southern operator Govia Thameslink Railways over plans to change the roles of guards and introduce more conductor-less trains, there was "every indication there would be more action".

The guards officially start their 24-hour strike at 11am today but services are being affected throughout today and tomorrow.

Meanwhile drivers are currently being balloted about possible strike action on the Gatwick Express over the issue of driver-only operated trains.

The news comes after GTR obtained a High Court injunction to force disgruntled train drivers to drive the routes after an incident where passengers were not allowed on a driver-only train.

Passengers lamented the further disruptions to services which regularly suffer delays and overcrowding.

Southern's passenger service director Alex Foulds said: "I would like to apologise to our passengers for the disruption they are going to suffer.

"We, like them, will be very frustrated.

"It means some disruptions and services will be very, very busy.

"We are going to run the best possible train service we can on the day.

"We will be running a contingency timetable. We will be running trains up and down the route but at a reduced frequency so as a result they will be significantly busier.

"The advice we are giving to people is to check the details of your journey before you travel."

RMT regional organiser Paul Cox warned: "I really hope Southern come to their senses, but every indication is that we will be taking more action."

The Brighton mainline service will start as usual this morning but the Coastway service which runs through Lewes and Hove will not start until 7.30am. And services will finish at 6.30pm.

No trains at all will be running on the Seaford branch.

Nor will services be running east of Eastbourne towards Ashford or west of Chichester towards Havant.

Services on the metro routes should continue to run as usual because 40% of services are already run by driver only trains.

Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: "I condemn any industrial action that will disrupt the travelling public. I expect to see operators and the unions working together to resolve these issues.

"Rail passengers will not thank the unions for inflicting this unnecessary disruption. It is clear that the changes GTR are proposing will modernise services and provide better journeys for passengers."

There are 620,000 passenger journeys on the Southern network's 2,300 services on a typical weekday.

Mr Foulds insisted the changes were intended to improve the service provided to passengers He said: "We expect these changes will improve service reliability. "and improve service problems in times of disruption.

"It is a change that is really focused on improving service reliability It will help support our punctuality plans.

"If a member of staff is unavailable on conductor-less services the train can still run.

"How often these disruptions happen depends on how often there are signalling problems, but I would say that happens on a reasonably regular basis so there will be a material improvement.

"When the service is operating well it won't make much of a difference but when we encounter problems on the network this is when we'll see a marked improvement."

The Argus: Red lines on the map indicate no service; yellow indicates significantly reduced service between 07.30 and 18.00; Blue indicates reduced service, trains expected to be very busy. Download the full map: Southern_services_during_RMT_strike.pdf

THE FEAR IS THESE STRIKES WILL NOT BE THE END OF THE DISPUTE

HUNDREDS of thousands of passengers are likely to see a summer of disruption as train drivers and guards fight plans for conductor-less trains.

As conductors go on strike today they argue that safety on the railways will be compromised without any improvements to punctuality or customer service if bosses ignore their protests against changing their roles.

Drivers’ unions said they also have concerns about driver-only operated trains – leading to fears the differing factions of the railways could bring the network to further standstill and causing further misery for commuters throughout the summer.

The disruption will be a further headache for commuters who suffer from some of the worst punctuality in on the country on the Southern network. M – many said they would be avoiding the commute and working from home today.

David Sidebottom, passenger director of the independent watchdog Transport Focus, said: “Passengers will be disappointed that Govia Thameslink and the RMT have not been able to reach an agreement.

“This means uncertainty for passengers so it is crucial that all parties get back around the table and resolve this matter without bringing the railway to a standstill.

“It is passengers who suffer most in the event of strikes. Passengers will need plenty of advance information about the strikes and what services will be running to allow them to plan their journeys during this uncertain time.”

A petition calling for a formal review of Govia Thameslink Railway’s franchise because of the “unacceptable level of service to their passengers” has received more than 5,000 signatures.

Commuter Sally Doman said: “The service is so bad anyway that this strike may not make any difference.”

Rail, Maritime and Transport Union regional organiser Paul Cox warned it feared strikes today, tomorrow and on May 11 and 12 would not be the end of the dispute.

Meanwhile, drivers’ union Aslef told The Argus its members were being balloted over similar concerns over the expanded use of trains without guards.

Mr Cox warned: “My members have decided in what must be the most resounding ballot the RMT has ever held to take action. These people don’ t want to go on strike.

“We have made a genuine offer to Southern but they seem to have already made their minds up.

“I really hope it won't be the case and Southern come to their senses but every indication is now that won’t happen and we will be taking more action.”

Southern operators Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) wants to remove conductors from trains with the technology now available to use CCTV to check doors and close them automatically – but the RMT believes that removing the primary safety function of guards will make travelling less safe.

Mr Cox added: “Over many years we have watched the erosion of safety on the railways.

“I don’t see services improving.

“What people want is good trains and on time trains and this won't change that."

Mr Cox, who has worked as both a conductor and a driver, said he had always felt he was able to concentrate better as a driver with the support of a guard.

He said: “If a tree blows on to the track and a train hits it and gets derailed and there is another oncoming train, if the driver is injured, which more often than not is the case, then the conductor would be able to call the signallers and take safety measures to prevent a collision.

“A conductor can prevent a number of things from going wrong.”

Mr Cox was not convinced by Southern’s assertion that driver-only trains would improve customer service, saying: "My conductors generally do a good job of protecting people.

“Southern are letting people think a conductor will be there.

“Controllers in operational roles can save lives.

“Our message to the public is that it is in your interest and the RMT’s interest is for passengers to be safe."

The union fears the changes to guards’ roles will mean they are transformed into ticket inspectors and subjected to harassment as well as making the railways less safe.

However, the rail operator insists the technology is already used on 40 per cent% of its network, on the London Underground and on rail networks around the country without any effect affect on safety.

GTR has obtained a High Court injunction against the drivers’ union – forcing members to drive the 12-carriage guardless trains when asked to do so.

A spokesman for Aslef said: “Our policy is against the introduction of driver-only operation trains as we feel they are unsafe for passengers and the railway. We are currently balloting on this issue.”

Southern’s passenger service director Alex Foulds said: “This is a system that has been very successful across railways generally. Fifty50 per cent% of Southern services already operate like this, across GTR 60 per cent% already operate this way.”

But RMT general secretary Mick Cash said the consequences of removing guards, “the human eyes and ears on that dangerous interface between crowded platforms and crowded trains", was "blindingly obvious” to anyone but the people running this deeply unpopular rail franchise.

Train drivers, also concerned about the increased use of driver-only trains, have also faced the wrath of GTR.

Yesterday It was revealed recently that GTR has now obtained an injunction from the High Court forcing members of the Aslef drivers’ union to drive the conductor-less trains when required.

The row was sparked when the new 12-carriage Gatwick Express service got off to a bad start when a driver refused to open the doors, instead driving the empty train to the airport and back to Victoria.

KEY QUESTIONS OVER THE WORKERS’ ACTION

Who is going on strike? 

Three hundred and six out of 320 Southern conductors who are member of the RMT who voted in a ballot voted in favour of strike action. 

Why are they striking? 

Conductors disagree with Southern operator Govia Thameslink Railway’s plans to introduce more driver-only trains, which mean conductors will be removed from trains.

Why is Govia Thameslink Railway removing conductors from trains? 

Southern says improved technology means guards can perform a wider variety of roles, sell tickets to passengers, make announcements and be a visible presence on trains. The RMT says safety will be under threat as the company focuses on profits. 

Will there be any job losses? 

GTR has promised there will be no compulsory redundancies or changes to pay. Some guard positions will remain but existing conductors who do not wish to change to new roles may have to work from different depots. 

When does the strike start and finish?

It starts at 11am today and finishes at 11am tomorrow. But services may be disrupted throughout both days. 

Which services are affected during the strike? 

Most of the network will be affected to some degree. All services will be busier. Passengers are urged to visit Southern’s website before travelling. 

Will there be any more strikes? 

More than likely. RMT members have already announced further strikes on May 10 and 12. Drivers’ union Aslef members are being balloted over action on the Gatwick Express.

SUCH CHANGES MAY NOT BE ACCEPTABLE TO RAIL TRAVELLERS

By Bruce Williamson, rail expert from Railfuture, a group campaigning for better transport

UNDOUBTEDLY, technology changes things hugely.

We already have driver-only trains on the Docklands Light Railway so that can be done.

It’s doable on the Jubilee Line on the London Underground although they don’t actually do it.

From Railfuture’s point of view, what we would say is human presence is very important for safety reasons and passengers need that human contact. Having somebody there who can talk with them is so much better than speaking to someone who is 100 miles away.

So it’s not so much about what is possible but what is publicly acceptable.

But there is always pressure to cut costs when you have a private railway.

Passenger numbers across the railway networks have gone up and up and railways are in a boom time which was not expected 20 years ago. That proves how wrong Beeching was.

This argument about not having guards is not going to go away.

There will always be these two opposing pressures as the railway companies will always want to cut costs and the unions will always want to protect jobs.

The unions are being genuine about safety and they have an important part to play.

What is deemed acceptable will change in the longer term. If trains become even safer then maybe in the future changes will be deemed more publicly acceptable but I think we are a long way from that.

Technologically many changes are possible but in terms of public acceptability they are not.”