Southern train strikes: MP calls for rail ombudsman

The continuing disruption has forced some passengers to work from home or take time off

A bill to establish a rail ombudsman "with real teeth" has passed its first hurdle in the Commons as Southern rail passengers endure another strike.

Services are being disrupted on the 27th day of industrial action - the second day of a 48-hour strike.

Introducing his Rail Ombudsman Bill, the Conservative MP for East Worthing and Shoreham, Tim Loughton, said the GTR franchise "was a shambles".

He said his bill would apply to the whole UK rail network.

It has passed its first reading, but is only likely to become law if it receives government backing.

Financial penalties

"Whilst not intended as a silver bullet to resolve the problems of Southern, [it] should go some way to disincentivise the complacency over consistent failure to operate a decent service when some form of normality actually returns to our rail service in the southern region," Mr Loughton told MPs.

He said his bill would also overhaul the compensation scheme and increase financial penalties against train operators, benefiting passengers who have been told to "like it or lump it".

Tim Loughton's proposed bill will receive a second reading next March

Earlier, the RMT union called on the government to instigate a Christmas "truce".

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said: "I have reaffirmed my offer for talks with the unions if they call off strike action, but they have failed to come to the table."

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said he would be willing to "thrash out a workable solution" with the government.

The RMT said in three recent agreements on rail contracts the role of conductors had been retained.

It said the arrangements cover Great Western, East Coast and TransPennine Express contracts, in addition to the deal achieved on the Scottish government's rail contract this year.

Mr Cash said: "All we are asking is for [the government] to authorise a similar deal on its Southern rail contract. This would provide a basis for a Christmas truce."

'Call off strike'

The Department for Transport said the three contracts did not stipulate whether services should be run with or without guards and it was down to individual train companies.

RMT members walked out at midnight on Sunday in a dispute over guards' roles on new trains.

Southern services have been disrupted for months because of staffing issues and strike action

Shadow Transport Secretary Andy McDonald said it was within the government's "gift" to bring about a suspension of the strikes.

"It must take this opportunity to resolve the dispute and sort out Southern's unacceptable service," he said.

A Southern spokesman said: "We invited the RMT to talk to us last week and, to show good faith and a genuine interest to find a solution, to call off their strike action."

Southern said services during the strike would be "significantly disrupted" with no trains on some routes and no service after 18:00 GMT on others.

Economic cost

Previous RMT strikes have affected about 40% of services, but Southern said an overtime ban instigated by the train drivers' union Aslef would add to the disruption.

The Association of British Commuters says support is growing for its campaign to persuade ministers to intervene

Meanwhile, a study has put the economic cost of the Southern dispute at about £300m.

The University of Chichester examined the impact on productivity of both the RMT and Aslef strikes - basing its calculation on the thousands of commuters who are late, missed work or have had to work from home.

Your questions on the Southern rail strikes

Getting a refund: What you need to know

Are we facing a Christmas of Discontent?

Planned Southern strike dates

00:01 Saturday 31 December to 23:59 Monday 2 January (RMT conductors' strike)

00:01 Monday 9 January to 23:59: Saturday 14 January (Aslef and RMT drivers' strike)