VILLIERS PROTESTS AT FURTHER DISRUPTIONS TO BARNET RAIL SERVICES

MP for Chipping Barnet and Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, Theresa Villiers, has protested about disruption which occurred throughout yesterday on commuter rail services between her constituency and central London. These were caused by the refusal of train drivers to volunteer for their usual overtime. They follow cancellations to Sunday rail services on the same line earlier this month for the same reason, which left many residents stranded.

First Capital Connect, who rely on train drivers working overtime to run a full service, were forced to cancel many services on the Great Northern Line which runs through New Barnet and Oakleigh Park stations into London. The unions deny that drivers are taking industrial action and say they are merely exercising their contractual right not to work overtime.

Theresa said, "It is absolutely essential that the drivers stop this concerted action which is disrupting vital commuter services and causing huge hassle for passengers. It is simply not credible to believe that the unions are not giving tacit encouragement to the drivers causing the problem. The unions should be pulling out all the stops to get their members back to ordinary working practices, including overtime, so that full services can resume. The last thing we need on our transport system is to wind back the clock to the dying days of the last Labour Government when strikes wreaked havoc across the economy."

“First Capital Connect and the unions need to sort out this unacceptable level of disruption. This kind of action will achieve nothing but cause frustration and upset to travellers and commuters. I will continue to fight for the interests of my constituents against the further disruption of rail services in Barnet.”  

“To add to the travel misery faced by my constituents, there is now a real threat of industrial action on the tube in the run up to Christmas. I would urge the rail unions not to embark on this deeply damaging disruption to essential commuter services into London.”

First Capital Connect is the train operator responsible for running rail services between New Barnet and Oakleigh Park, in the Chipping Barnet constituency, and central London.