Passengers queue during a previous strike over ticket office closures.
Evening Standard/London
A week of rail strikes on some of London’s busiest commuter lines was ordered yesterday by union chiefs.
They instructed more than 200 key engineers working for Southern Rail, which operates services from Surrey and Sussex into London Bridge and Victoria, to stop work from 5pm on Sunday, July 12 and not return until 5pm on Friday, July 17 in a long-running dispute over working conditions.
The union claims there has been a “comprehensive breakdown in industrial relations.” The strike means more misery for Southern’s commuters after months of delays and overcrowding.
A spokeswoman for Southern said: “We are disappointed that the RMT has decided to take this action at this time in the franchise, especially as we have been having meaningful talkswith the Union throughout this process.”
Mick Cash, RMT general secretary, said: “The RMT will not have our members left unrewarded as they hit work targets and then face a barrage of attacks on working conditions.”
Millions of Tube passengers will not know until the last minutewhether a strike planned for next Wednesday and Thursday over pay and the night Tube will go ahead.
Talks reached a stalemate last night and will not resume until tomorrow.
Holidaymakers faced travel chaos last night as more than 150 migrants attempted to storm the Channel Tunnel.
British lorry drivers were left queueing on the M20 as officials worked to remove the migrants.
Kent Police advised motorists to expect delays as officers closed sections of the M20.
The force has been working to minimise delays through Operation Stack, which sees parts of the M20 being used solely to queue lorries travelling towards the continent, in order to free up other roads for non-freight traffic.
A police spokesman tweeted: “#Opstack phase 2 implemented due to disruption at Channel Tunnel. #M20 closed coast-bound 8 to 9. Junctions 11 -12 also currently closed.”
Advising lorry drivers not to skip the queue, he added: “Kent Police is reminding lorry drivers that those at the front of the queue will get a ticket to continue their journey to the continent.
“Those who use the diversions for non-freight traffic in an attempt to get closer to the front, and who do not have a ticket, will be sent to the back of the Op Stack queue.”
Home secretary Theresa May travelled to France this week to discuss the growing transport and migrant crisis.
