It is very good news that ASLEF train drivers have voted overwhelmingly to end their strike action, which includes a 28.5 per cent pay rise over the next five years. Hopefully things can now begin to get back to normal, whatever ‘normal’ amounts to for Southern Rail. There really is no reason for the RMT union to continue their industrial action given that the on-board supervisors have been operating successfully since the beginning of the year without feeling the need to operate the doors on most routes, and without any safety issues.
There is however still an ongoing problem about making sure that all people with disabilities are able to access trains when and where they need them, and there have been some very alarming cases of people in wheelchairs being left stranded. I was delighted to meet up with disability expert and constituent Ann Bates again last week and we will be convening a ‘roundtable’ with the operators, unions and others to see how we can get his sorted properly at last. I will keep constituents posted.