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Main rail lines could be closed on Sundays
Dick Murray, Transport Correspondent09.11.09
Rail services on busy London routes could be closed on Sundays as train drivers refuse to work overtime.
This would cost the capital's businesses tens of millions of pounds in the run-up to Christmas as shoppers turn to complexes outside London.
Sunday services on many routes serving the capital are operated by drivers on a voluntary overtime basis. Trains on First Capital Connect's route from King's Lynn and Hertfordshire into King's Cross were axed yesterday when drivers refused to work.
Two months ago, Sunday services on London Midland into St Pancras - operated by Go Ahead -suffered the same fate. Drivers at both companies are involved in pay disputes.
Now there are fears that drivers could regularly refuse to work weekend overtime to force pay increases.
Reader views (5)
I hope that anyone with a season ticket on these services claims a refund on each Sunday that the trains don't run.
- Paul, London
Did the government forget to specify that a Sunday service was required when they awarded the rail franchises? Or were the companies hoping to get by on volunteer labour rather than contracting their drivers to turn up to run services that they are obliged to provide?
If it's the former, we should be told. If the latter, First Capital Connect needs to be threatened with loss of its franchise if it does not put its drivers on contract (presumably, at some cost to their profits).
- Nigel, London
Can't we just use this as an excuse to bring back some traditional values to Sunday? It used to be a day of rest, but now its just another day of the week and has no special character to it at all. It used to be a case that nothing except pubs were open after noon and they closed at 3 to allow for families to eat their Sunday lunch. I for one miss those days. Hopefully this is could be a start. Good for the drivers!
- Tim, London
The real culprit in this mess is Gordon Brown, who has taxed people to such an extent there is no incentive to work extra time. One sees it all over in the UK, with restaurants and hotels ceasing to continue serving after 9 pm, with many other services evaporating after this time.
- Bingham Macnamara, lymington, hampshire
I think this a great idea. We could follow this up by closing the shops in Central London on Sundays and then there would be no need for the trains. Afterall if you go to other countries in Europe shops are closed on Sundays and most on Saturday afternoon as well. We are Europeans now are we not?
- Patrick, Dalston
