This Week's Southern Rail Strikes Called Off

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To be replaced by 24 hour walkout planned for May 20

Two 24 hour strikes planned for May 10 - 13 by Southern Railway conductors have been cancelled and replaced with a 24-hour walkout on Friday May 20.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport union said the decision was taken because the dispute over the role of conductors and driver-only trains may be prolonged.

RMT members staged a 24-hour strike last week that disrupted services, including the service on the West London Line through Hammersmith and Fulham and were due to walk out again next Tuesday and Thursday.

A union official said: " We realise that this dispute may be prolonged. We therefore cancel the strike action called for Tuesday 10 May to Wednesday 11 May and for Thursday 12 May to Friday 13 May.

" Instead, we instruct our members to take strike action by not working any shifts that book on between 00.01 and 23.59 on Friday 20 May.”

The RMT said it will be taking legal advice on the 'threatening and abusive' stance the company is adopting towards union members.

The union added it was preparing a fresh wave of campaigning, targeted at building public support for its fight with Southern over staffing levels.

A spokesman for Southern said: " We are naturally pleased that next week’s strike has been postponed, but remain concerned that the threat of further strike action hangs over our passengers with a new date announced for May 20."

Services affected by this industrial action include Southern's trains running between Clapham Junction and Milton Keynes, taking in Imperial Wharf, West Brompton, Olympia and Shepherd's Bush, alongside the London Overground service.

The service normally runs three or four trains during rush hours and one per hour at other times and continues from Shepherd's Bush to Wembley Central, Harrow and Wealdstone then on to Watford Junction and Milton Keynes Central.

May 6, 2016