All trains running between Brighton and London have been cancelled on Friday and two future dates because of a drivers’ strike – and an overtime ban means a reduced service next week too.
Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) – which operates Southern, Thameslink, Great Northern and Gatwick Express – says no trains will run this Friday, or on Wednesday, 31 May or Saturday, 3 June.
This also affects Southern services to Eastbourne, Ashford, Portsmouth and Southampton and Thameslink services to Littlehampton.
The strikes have been called by Aslef, the train drivers’ union, in protest at a refusal to offer more than 4% pay rise – the first since 2019.
Another strike by the RMT, which represents maintenance, signalling and operations staff, will cause further disruption this Saturday – although some trains will still run.
GTR says it will run as many trains as possible on main line routes on Saturday, but the network will start later and finish earlier than usual.
The impact of this action will have a knock-on effect on Sunday 14 May, with services across the GTR network beginning no earlier than approximately 7am in some areas.
Gatwick Express will not be running on 13 May, but the airport will continue to be served by Southern and Thameslink.
From Monday 15 until Saturday 20 May inclusive, as well as Thursday 1 June, GTR will be implementing an amended timetable with fewer services overall. This is due to a ban on overtime by ASLEF.
The amended timetable has been designed to help customers plan their journey with more certainty and consistency, with fewer on-the-day cancellations.
Journey planners are now live for Friday 12 and Saturday 13 May. Journey Planners for the remaining industrial action period will continue to be updated on an ongoing basis from Wednesday 10 May.
Jenny Saunders, Customer Services Director at Govia Thameslink Railway, said: “We apologise for the huge inconvenience this period of industrial action will have on our customers.
“It’s important that people plan ahead as much as possible, especially on Aslef strike days where there will be no trains.
“To help minimise disruption during the ASLEF overtime ban period from 15 – 20 May, we’re running an amended timetable to provide greater certainty for passengers.
“Services during this time will be busier than usual and customers may have to queue for peak time trains, such as early mornings. If passengers can be flexible with their journeys, then we advise travelling at quieter times such as Mondays and Fridays.
“In any case – it’s essential that customers check before they travel during the entire period.”
From Friday 12 May until Saturday 3 June, anyone planning to travel by train should their journey via www.nationalrail.co.uk.
GTR has liaised with schools across its network regarding the upcoming industrial action to help people plan ahead for GCSE and A Level exams.
Steve Montgomery is Chair of the Rail Delivery Group who are leading on national negotiations. He said: “We understand the impact of these strikes on individuals and businesses alike, and we can only apologise for this unnecessary and damaging disruption.”
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