Rail strikes: How are services across Sussex are affected?

Rail union members are set to walk out for three days this week

Published 21st Jun 2022

Thousands of workers on Britain's railways are walking out today in one of the biggest strikes in decades.

RMT members have also backed strike action on Thursday (June 23) and Saturday (June 25) in a dispute over jobs, pay and conditions.

Southern Rail says much of the network will be shut down,

Talks between the Network Rail, railway operators and unions in an effort to avoid industrial action broke down yesterday.

Operators want to make efficiency savings, especially as fewer passengers are travelling by rail post pandemic, with many more working from home.

Unions argue that their members worked throughout the pandemic but now face job cuts, changes to their working conditions and pay rises well below the rate of inflation following years of wage freezes.

Between 2,000 and 2,500 jobs are believed to be at risk.

The walkouts are expected to cause widespread disruption across Sussex, although some services will still be running - these are listed below:

Gatwick Express

There will be no service on strike days.

Passengers travelling to Gatwick Airport from London can use Southern or Thameslink trains.

A Sunday service on Gatwick Express will run on the days after the strikes, with late starts and early finishes.

Southern

Staff at Southern are not taking part in strike action. However, the company will be affected by the walkout of Network Rail staff.

There will be two trains an hour running between Brighton and London Victoria, London Bridge, Gatwick Airport and Hove,

Southeastern

Most stations and routes will be closed on strike days, and a "severely reduced service" will operate elsewhere.

There will be no services to or from London Victoria or Charing Cross.

The vast majority of its network in Kent and East Sussex will be closed, apart from the high-speed route to Ashford International.

Thameslink

There will be far fewer trains than normal on strike days.

Services will be split north and south, with nothing running between London St Pancras and London Bridge.

An amended Sunday service will operate after each strike day.

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