Tonight:
4°c
MPs’ fury at Thameslink chaos as commuters left stranded
Dick Murray, Transport Correspondent12 Nov 2009
MPs attacked First Capital Connect and union bosses for leaving thousands of commuters stranded today due to a driver shortage on Thameslink trains.
FCC cancelled 200 out of 400 services, used by more than 200,000 passengers. It warned there was no end in sight to the disruption.
The drivers, members of the Aslef union, are involved in a pay dispute and are refusing to work rest days or overtime.
FCC, like several other operators, relies on overtime to run the full service.
Transport Secretary Andrew Adonis said: “The action by drivers on FCC is highly regrettable given that talks are continuing.” He added: “train companies need to ensure their staffing arrangements are robust so they can not be held to ransom.”
Norman Baker, Liberal Democrat transport spokesman, said: “People will be horrified to learn so much of the timetable only works [if] drivers turn up voluntarily. Unions must recognise that getting the public on board with their cause will not happen if they are left stranded on railway platforms.”
With the result of a ballot on industrial action due on 9 December, an all-out strike could start on 16 December. A spokesman for FCC apologised for the cancellations.
Reader views (15)
First and foremost I dont think Mps should really be furious at anybody trying to earn a desent and HONEST living and going the correct way about it not underhand. Second I support all the drivers who are doing this they are not striking yet they are simply not working overtime its called working to rule. All you people who are not drivers especially those people with nice chairs and desk would you let your boss demand you do overtime on your day off I think not! that would interfear with those social events you planned, which by the way the driver of that train will be taking you to, and then taking you home from in that drunken state (not all im sure) at that very unsociable hour. Baring in mind that driver probably has a family at home waiting for him/her.Yes that driver chose to take that job, and not all are miserable as so many of you think,some of them actually really enjoy the job and taking you to your destinations. These actions like strike and no overtime are not always over pay, its often another reason. Remember at anyone time a driver can have the responsibility of upto 500-600 people. That's your safety in his/her hands you cant put a price on safety he usually earns the money he is on for knowing about the train your on and how to fix it, safety procedures in worst case scenarios and his/her knowledge of the lines oh yeah and getting you there. Im sorry about the 3 million unemployed but the drivers didnt sack them there just doing there job. Go FCC Drivers...
- Daniel Black, London NW5, 12/11/2009 18:19
Report abuse
You obviously know nothing about driving a train Paul. It can take anything from 12-18 months to train a driver.It would be much simpler to sack all the managers and return the railways to public ownership where they belong. Why are the taxpayers handing millions of pounds to the share holders of private rail companies in return for the worst and most expensive rail system in europe? We are all being ripped off by Souter, Branson and Lockhead. How much money do these people need?
- Stephen, Greenock, 12/11/2009 16:48
Report abuse
Not enough drivers - vandalised, resprayed, knackered trains from the 80s, rising ticket prices, daily serious overcrowding. We're getting there!
- Cedric, Brighton UK, 12/11/2009 15:12
Report abuse
And MPs were angry were they? When did they last put their fat backsides on a FCC train. Limos do that sort of thing.
- Aylyn, 03189 Orihuela Costa, 12/11/2009 14:54
Report abuse
its not about strikes in this case its a refusal to work over time "over" being the operative word. The drivers are under no obligation to work extra hours. This mess is down the employers who have used over time as an excuse not to employ the required amount of drivers.
- Lance Johnson, Canterbury, Kent, 12/11/2009 14:27
Report abuse
This is what happens when you privatise public services. No word from the Conservatives, or even John Major, who had this bright idea. Nobody, but nobody is obliged to work overtime if they don't want to. Surely the answer is for these private comnpanies to employ more staff, instead of trying to run a railway on a shoestring. But no, they wont do that will they, it would mean a smaller dividend for their private shareholders. There are some services which should have remained in public ownership, and transport is one of them. The comment about taking on the unemployed as train drivers would work if the companies would pay for additional drivers, but they wont, for the reasons already mentioned.
- Val Daniels, Mijas Costa, Spain, 12/11/2009 14:00
Report abuse
"What..!!! Bob Crow not getting the blame for this dispute"
He'll be busy planning his own disruption for millions of innocent commuters over trivial matters to try to exaggerate the importance of his own sad little life.
- Lisa, London, 12/11/2009 13:58
Report abuse
"More than 200,000 rail commuters on the Thameslink route were enduring a second successive day of travel chaos today due to a shortage of drivers."
It's not the second successive day, we are approaching our 3rd successive week of disruption.
- Keith, London, 12/11/2009 13:10
Report abuse
Perhaps they could use the invisible trains that SWT were using this morning. I was tracking mine via the information screen and via the Network Rail website (there were no announcements) and apparently it turned up 4 minutes late, the following train apparently was on time, both must have been invisible as no one on the platform saw or obviously boarded them. Thankfully, the 3rd one was visible and turned up a mere 10 minutes late, 27 minutes after the first invisible one had apparently left.
- Bob, Cheam, 12/11/2009 12:43
Report abuse
This is crazy. Since drivers are only contracted to work 4 days a week, more should be employed.
Even more sad is that the high number of industrial disputes on the railways must place a question mark over the investment being directed to the sector.
- Mike Constable, Islington, London, 12/11/2009 10:40
Report abuse
It is quite obvious for all to see that First Capital Connect has insufficient drivers to run the service.
With drivers simply refusing to work overtime the service is on its knees.
How can this possibly be allowed under the terms of the franchise?
- Mw, London, UK, 12/11/2009 09:47
Report abuse
What..!!! Bob Crow not getting the blame for this dispute. That'll upset a few people who comment on this site 
First Group seem to make a mess of most of the rail franchises that they run. The old Western Region out of Paddington was one, and remember the article in this paper that said staff were facing the sack for informing passengers of proposed ticket office closures on the old Thameslink route..?
I'm glad that my local trains are run by that other Scottish based group....er, I think..??
- Rodders, Feltham, SWTLand, 12/11/2009 09:20
Report abuse
Just looking at all the First Capital train cancellations and wondering how 50% of their core service can be reliant on voluntary overtime? Can you really sell such a service based on an assumption and hope?
- Wayne Mcdonough, Crawley, West Sussex, 12/11/2009 08:49
Report abuse
There are 3 million unemployed in the UK, at least a few of which would jump at the chance of a job. Driving a train is not hard - you don't even have to steer! If the current drivers strike, sack them.
- Paul, London, 12/11/2009 08:39
Report abuse
for the sake of commuters facing chaos...this is hornbys chance to step in and do a better job
- Scony, middlesbrough, 12/11/2009 08:21
Report abuse
