Southern Rail crashes to a stop
The last thing anyone wants, while standing outside in the freezing winter weather, is to wait for a train that is never going to come. That is why the recent strikes on the London Underground have caused national distress.
Quite a way to start the year, as an already unreliable railway service jolted to a unceremonious finish. How does this affect us? Tucked away in a corner as we are, our main contact with Central London has derailed, leaving hundreds of thousands of commuters in despair. London Bridge, Croydon, Canterbury, Brighton, Bromley, Eastbourn are now out of our reach, and as the year languidly advances, there will be no more trips to theatres, museums, cinemas, shopping malls and restaurants. No more visits to family and friends, and, most importantly, no access to work either. Business men and women everywhere have been left stranded on thousands of dusty platforms.
While station platforms everywhere have become desolate wastelands, and only display the end of another dismal Christmas without snow, the Overground is overflowing, as south londoners desperately try to clutch our last tie with the rest of Britain.
And why? All for what? Money, primarily. But isn't that always the way? Despite world record tariffs, the Southern Rail still stubbornly want to reduce the personal. This includes removing conductors, and rebellion has issued forwards. Drivers have suggested the risk to the public’s safety, and are concerned that this rather abrupt cut will only result in more accidents, more problems, and more complications.
Although, If you asked me, we are already “enjoying” complications as it is. This has been found to be the biggest strike since privatisation, that is 22 years!
As a fellow south londoner, and most likely a fellow commuter also at stake of this tug of war between staff and management, what are your opinions? Thoughts? Desires? Do you applaud the endeavours of the various unions concerned with our safety? Or do you support the increased automation that should have happened a long time ago? Or do you, like me, wish for life to continue on like before, and want to see the railways flooded with life once more?
If this continues on for much longer, what a great year 2017 is shaping out to be!
Eva Nacci Sydenham High School
