Staff reporter(wp/es):
Frustrated commuters described a journey from hell as the crippling Southern Rail strike entered its third and final day.
Customers have been hit by three consecutive days of “utterly atrocious” travel misery in a walk-out which left services cut by around half.
While commuters are set to have a few days of relief from Friday, a second strike is set to hit from Tuesday next week – unless the crisis can be averted with a court decision.
On Thursday morning, passengers branded their journeys “abysmal” as services were cancelled due to a lack of staff.
Jo Crowley said on Twitter: “Think I might invoice @SouthernRailUK for lost hours working, lost income and stress due to their disgusting service. Everyone should.”
Jack Blythman called his journey a “hell commute” after his train was cancelled due to congestion while Roy Stephenson said: “Late, overcrowded and then trapped on the platform at London Bridge.”
Claire Llewellyn added: “Cattle are transported under better conditions. Sort it out!!!
The Brighton mainline, Oxsted and Redhill routes all faced major disruption while most other lines were partly closed.
Southern Rail apologised for the problems and urged customers to apply for special strike-day compensation for their journey if they were delayed for over half an hour.
A spokesman said that it was too early to tell on Thursday morning how many trains were cancelled but added that approximately 50 per cent of the normal timetable was planned to run.
This week’s strike – which ends at 11.59pm – is by RMT unionmembers and part of a long-running dispute over changes to the role of train conductors.
The dispute began months ago when Southern’s parent company, Govia Thameslink Railway, revealed plans for drivers to be in charge of opening and closing the train doors.
Train drivers’ union Aslef joined in the row, also announcing a wave of walk-outs over safety risks of the proposed change.
This week’s RMT strike will be followed by two 24-hour walk-outs by Aslef from midnight on Tuesday, December 13 and again on Friday, December 16 at midnight.
But the High Court is set to rule later on Thursday on whether parent company GTR can block the train drivers’ strike planned for next week.
The company claimed the strike action breaches customers’ rights. A decision is expected to be reached at 2pm.
Two further 48 hour strikes are planned by RMT from Monday, December 19 at midnight and for 48 hours from December 31 to January 2.
Aslef have also planned a five day strike to hit Southern in January, from Monday 9 to Saturday 14.
A spokesman for Southern Rail said: "Services on the third day of the RMT conductors' strike are also being affected by the ASLEF overtime ban and as a result, we are having to withdraw more trains from the timetable today for which we apologise."
On Thursday, a Conservative MP representing constituents who use Southern, said the disruption on the line is straining passengers’ jobs and family life.
Arundel and South Downs MP Nick Herbert, writing in the Telegraph, said he knows of some commuters who have lost jobs or become sick with worry due to the service.
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