'˜Whole charade shows Southern's disregard for Uckfield rail passengers' says MP

Wealden's MP has criticised Southern as Uckfield faces being cut off again if a 48-hour rail strike goes ahead later this week.
Uckfield station.Uckfield station.
Uckfield station.

No trains or rail-replacement bus services ran from the station during the RMT union’s last walkout in August and afterwards MP Nus Ghani wrote to rail operator Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) and raised her concerns with Transport Secretary Chris Grayling.

The RMT has been locked in a bitter dispute with GTR for months over proposals to change the roles of conductors to on-board supervisors, with drivers operating the doors instead.

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The union has called a fresh 48-hour strike starting on Wednesday September 7, but the revised timetable for the two days appears to show no trains or replacement buses running from Uckfield.

Ms Ghani said: “On 25 August I wrote to Southern’s chief executive, asking for the Uckfield line to be prioritised for replacement services during this week’s strike.

“It was left without services last time, and it would be completely unfair were that to happen again. I am incredibly disappointed that as far as I know I have not received a reply, especially as the new strike timetable shows that my constituents will be left without services yet again.

“This whole charade shows the disregard Southern obviously have for my constituents, their passengers, and is a totally unacceptable situation. I am meeting the Transport Secretary later today, and will be discussing this and other concerns with him.”

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