Southern strikes cause New Year's Eve disruption

Southern Railway say anyone planning to travel to the capital should seek alternative arrangements as services on most routes will finish in the early evening.

All services are also subject to possible cancellations, Southern say, as a result of the ASLEF driver overtime ban.

Gatwick Express services will only operate between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport.

Meanwhile there will be no Southern trains on many routes including between Lewes and Seaford, as well as between Eastbourne and Ashford International. Southern say there will be replacement buses on these routes.

There will also be no Southern services between Chichester and Portsmouth, although replacement buses will run between Chichester and Havant.

There are no services running between Oxted and Uckfield today and passengers are advised to travel by bus, which run between Tunbridge Wells and Haywards Heath via Eridge, Crowborough, Buxted and Uckfield.

Passengers wanting to travel between Haywards Heath and Lewes are advised to travel via Brighton for East Coastway services.

Speaking today RMT general secretary Mick Cash said more strike actions is set to take place in 2017.

He said: “Our guards members on Southern Rail remain rock solid and absolutely determined in their action in defence of rail safety this morning.

“These are local people fighting for safe railways for their local communities and their commitment to that fight remains undiminished as we head into the New Year. “The union repeats it’s demand for Chris Grayling and his rail minister to get out of their bunker, stop the mud slinging and take up the offer from RMT for direct talks to sort out the worsening crisis on Britain’s biggest rail franchise.

“Instead of continuing to attack rail staff, and back failing rail companies like Southern, the Transport Secretary should make it his New Year resolution to get in a room with the unions and his contractors to sort out the current shambles.”

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