Staff sickness blamed for staff shortage at Haywards Heath railway station

The commuter revealed a poster on the social media site, which had been put up at the railway station.

The poster, by Southern Rail, states ‘amended opening times’ to the railway ticket office due to ‘staff shortages’.

The Twitter user tweeted his anger and said there were ‘no trains’, ‘no ticket office’ and it was an ‘utter shambles’ and demanded the train operating company to ‘just go’.

The station manager at the railway station has since confirmed the shortage of staff is due to ‘short-notice sickness’.

He said: “We have a temporary shortage of ticket office staff due to sickness. The poster which is currently displayed is for this week only and we hope that things will return to normal next week.”

A spokesperson from Southern Rail apologised to customers for the reduction in ticket office opening hours at the station.

He said: “Unfortunately there has been a bout of short-notice sickness which has meant we have had to reduce the opening hours for this week only. We hope that it will be business as usual next week.”

The recent spark and concern of staff shortages is more frustrating news for commuters, who will face strike action in two weeks’ time.

Drivers will strike on Tuesday, December 13 and Wednesday December 14, Friday December 16, and Monday January 9 to Saturday January 14.

In addition, drivers will not work any non-contractual work from Tuesday December 6.

Southern train drivers overwhelmingly backed strike action in a row over driver-only operated trains.

The RMT union has already held nine walkouts over plans by rail operator Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) to change the role of conductors to on-board supervisors.

As part of the changes drivers would open and close the train doors on Southern services.

Now ASLEF, the union representing train drivers, has balloted its members and more than 87 per cent who voted said they were willing to take part in a strike.

The RMT is due to hold three-day walkouts starting Tuesday December 6, Thursday December 22, and Saturday December 31.

Are you a regular commuter and have experienced recent problems at Haywards Heath railway station?

If so, tell us your story and get in touch via email: [email protected].

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