Department for Transport
Email from Secretary of State for Transport (Chris Grayling) on 16 Dec 2016
Dear Colleague,
Following yesterday’s breakdown in talks at ACAs without resolution, today’s strike is going ahead. This is particularly unfortunate since it means another day of difficulty for those living on the route; I want to see a sensible settlement soon.
We are now urgently reviewing what steps are either available to the Government or the company. As discussed at our meeting earlier this week, this whole situation is completely unacceptable. It now creates a situation where the union is perfectly happy to drive Thameslink trains, which are Driver Only Operated, on the same route on strike days where they have brought other services to a halt. The unions seem determined to try to resist sensible progress – even to replicate changes that happened elsewhere years ago.
I struggle to understand just how selfish the unions can be in pursuing this grossly disproportionate action at the expense of passengers who just want to be able to get on with their lives.
With best wishes
Chris Grayling
Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP
Secretary of State for Transport
MP for Epsom and Ewell.