There will be no trains running on the Southeastern network this Saturday (August 13) as strike action by transport unions continues.
Action has been announced by the RMT (National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers); ASLEF (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen) and TSSA independent trade union for the transport and travel trade industries whose members include control centre staff, engineers, ticket office, gate staff and operational and support roles across railways, buses and ferries.
Strike action is due to take place on the Southeastern network on:
Saturday 13 August (between 00:01 and 23:59) – ASLEF union
Thursday 18 August (between 00:01 and 23:59) – RMT & TSSA unions
Saturday 20 August (between 00:01 and 23:59) – RMT & TSSA unions
Saturday 13 August
There will be no Southeastern services running on the rail network. Please do not attempt to travel by train on this day. For alternative transport options visit traveline.
Thameslink and Southern will be running a limited service to some Southeastern stations, visit their websites for more information.
Thursday 18 August
There will be a limited service running on the rail network and some routes will be closed. Please only travel by train if absolutely necessary. If you are travelling expect severe disruption, plan ahead and check your entire journey.
Only 44 out of 180 stations will be open. No rail replacement buses will serve stations which are closed.
You may be unable to board trains at stations where a limited service is running, especially at locations such as Ashford and Ebbsfleet.
The last trains back from London will be much earlier than usual.
Friday 19 August
If you travel on the day after strike action, Friday 19 August, expect severe disruption in the morning.
Services won’t run until Network Rail staff begin their shifts on Friday.
First trains will be busy, and queueing systems will be in place to manage space on trains, so please plan ahead, check your entire journey and allow extra time.
No services will run before 7am.
There will also be strike action affecting the London Underground and Overground network on Friday 19 August. Visit TfL for more information.
Saturday 20 August
There will be a limited service running on the rail network and some routes will be closed. Please only travel by train if absolutely necessary. If you are travelling expect severe disruption, plan ahead and check your entire journey.
Only 45 out of 180 stations will be open. No rail replacement buses will serve stations which are closed.
You may be unable to board trains at stations where a limited service is running, especially at locations such as Ashford and Ebbsfleet.
The last trains back from London will be much earlier than usual.
The action is being taken in a dispute over pay, jobs, work conditions and safety concerns.
The RMT say Network Rail and train operating companies have subjected their staff to multiyear pay freezes and plan to cut thousands of jobs.
Mick Whelan, general secretary of ASLEF, said: “Strikes are always the last resort. We don’t want to inconvenience passengers – our friends and families use public transport, too – and we don’t want to lose money by going on strike but we’ve been forced into this position by the companies, who say they have been driven to this by the Tory government.
“Many of our members – who were the men and women who moved key workers and goods around the country during the pandemic – have not had a pay rise since 2019.
“With inflation running at north of 10% that means those drivers have had a real terms pay cut over the last three years. We want an increase in line with the cost of living – we want to be able to buy, in 2022, what we could buy in 2021.
“It’s not unreasonable to ask your employer to make sure you’re not worse off for three years in a row. Especially as the train companies are doing very nicely, thank you, out of Britain’s railways – with handsome profits, dividends for shareholders, and big salaries for managers – and train drivers don’t want to work longer for less.”
