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Train drivers’ action cuts Thameslink services by half
Dick Murray16 Nov 2009
More than 200,000 Thameslink commuters face further weeks of chaos because train drivers are refusing to work overtime or on their rest days.
Operator First Capital Connect has introduced an emergency Monday-to-Friday timetable but warned it could be changed.
Up to 200 of its usual 400 daily services are being axed, including between Bedford, Luton, London, Sutton, Wimbledon and Brighton. Passengers at St Pancras station today told of their anger.
Susan King, 38, a business manager from Harpenden, said: "All last week it took me two hours to get home instead of 45 minutes. It is a complete hassle."
Trains through London may be cut from 24 to 20 an hour as the Government seeks to save £750million. It has denied this. Drivers' union Aslef has ordered a strike ballot over pay.
Reader views (5)
The Thameslink has always been a fiasco but since FCC won the franchise nothing seems to run to any sort of timetable any more. To get to Bedford the other week it was easier for me to catch a train then a tube then a train than to catch a "direct" Thameslink service.
- Bob, Cheam, 17/11/2009 09:31
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I am sure worst will now be measuring their performance against their much reduced timetable, and as a consequence claiming they are running a good service, just to add insult to injury.
- Keith, London, 17/11/2009 08:09
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2 years ago we had the off peak travel restrictions imposed on us because of overcrowding due to insufficient rolling stock followed by year-on-year inflation busting fare increases. Over the past couple of months I have noted the use of some dreadfully old carriages which are in an appalling state and an insult to the passangers who have to use them - yes there are some new ones as well but why in this modern day and age should people have to put up with such old and dirty trains. And now to cap it all this disgraceful situation with the driver shortages and the misery and chaos this is causing.
What are our MP's doing about it, what is the Department of Transport doing about it - what are the Commuter User Groups doing about it? As has been mentioned by quite a few people it is very strange how quiet it's all being kept with very little on the news.
My main question is - Why have First Capital Connect still got the Franchise? - they must surely be in breach of their contract? I assume they are picking up financial penalties for not providing the level of service laid down in their contract? In my own business I would certainly loose my contracts if I was not able to offer the correct level of service or one that is not providing value for money to the customer.
Obviously different rules apply or are those responsible for the First Capital Connect contract incompetitent or merely totally indifferent to the situation - I suspect it's a combination of all three.
- Norman Deas, Harpenden, Herts, UK., 16/11/2009 17:27
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This core commuting service has been decimated with no resolution in sight and yet there is virtually no coverage of this in the news (apart from in The Standard). FCC is a hopeless operator. First they said they could not find any extra cars to ameliorate their cattle-car style service and now they say they cannot find any drivers. Here is a simple thought: "pay them and they will come".
- Bloke, Lambeth, 16/11/2009 13:47
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This has to be kept high profile until the issue is resolved. The new timetable is reduced by 50% and creates massive overcrowding. Yet it already has become the norm so it is not mentioned on travel reports and National Rail Enquiries think they are running a normal service!
- Michael De Ferrari, London, 16/11/2009 12:55
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