to believe Southern trains should hire healthier conductors

[longfingernails]

Or even better, sack the lot?

Huh?

You what now?

I travel on Southern Railway to get to work and the number of cancelled trains, delays and short-formation trains is increasing by the day. We're not even the worst part of the network either - I really feel for people trying to get in from Brighton.

The sickness levels amongst conductors on Southern's network have risen since the dispute over moving to 100% driver operated doors on trains.

Healthier?

Just don't even go there OP.

My sympathy for them is diminishing week-by-week.

They are trying to preserve their livelihoods. Admittedly not in the best way.

I live nowhere near that area but news of southern trains cancelled due to staff sickness has reached my part of the world.

Maybe they should clean their equipment more often..?

Sorry, just seen the BBC news story. It's mostly misdirection from the company anyway. My brother is a conductor with Southern, they cancel approximately one of his trains per shift when all the staff are ready to go. It's dirty tactics to distract from the reason the RMT are supporting strike action.
Smoke and mirrors tbh

Southern have prevented many staff from working by banning overtime. Like most transport companies - bus, train companies, overtime is used extensively. THAT, not sickness, is why so many trains are cancelled.

This fiasco is absolutely of their making.

It's terrible lately I'm on the train it says it's leaving on time and then 5 minutes after its due to leave they say that cannot find a driver. I never used to have any issues until the last 2-3 weeks and it's every day.

I do feel sorry for the poor drivers who will be forced to take on the onerous duty of pressing the 'open doors' and 'close doors' buttons.

It's embarrassing and unprofessional

When South Eastern was being shit they took the franchise off them and it will be passed to TfL in a few years. I understand Southern have got away with it though.

Intriguing Mr Tumble.

So it's just to turn public support against the conductors?

Sadly, it's working.

Apparently Southern rely on overtime to cover their rotas. Staff that have taken part in previous strike action are nothe being given any overtime - therefore all of these cancellations are a direct result of management decisions. There is a blog about it somewhere.

OP you are just embarrassing yourself now if you think that's what is involved.

Maybe read something other than the Daily Fail before you instigate ignorant threads like this eh?

Saucy indeed. He hates it at the moment. And the "No driver available" thing is generally as they haven't scheduled a driver for that train but intend of pulling once off another train once it arrives. Southern haven't trained all their drivers on all the routes so some aren't qualified to drive particular ones. If the driver that is is running late on another shout then the train has to wait or be cancelled.
It's because it costs money to train on the routes and Southern won't pay. It's been like that for years.
My Dad has been on the railway for 35+ years covering that track for various companies. He is one of a handful able to drive all routes.

It's amazing that the Southern conductors are hearty enough to go on strike next week. I would have expected them all to be laid low with maladies various.

Can you tell that this conversation has come up a lot when we gather for a brew!!

long read the posts.
I'd noticed and spent a good 20 minutes yesterday going from platform to platform only to find 3 trains cancelled. I'm at the explanation but not surprised.

In all seriousness the door thing is actually quite concerning. The amount of vision that the driver has on the cameras in the cab of each doorway is very limited. Once the train is engaged ready to move the cameras shut off until the train gathers speed leaving the station.
Coupled with the fact that the sensors in the door register the door as 'closed' on the computer system even if something like a handbag strap or even a child's hand is caught in it, as my Dad has had recently. It was only the conductor on the train that sorted that out quickly. Otherwise the driver has to radio to ask for a stop, be given permission, stop train, walk down to find issue and sort it.
Far more worrying is that if a door isn't closed properly it could open mid journey and passengers could tumble into electrified lines.

I am a train driver, although not for Southern.
There is a huge amount more to a Guard / Conductor's role than simply pressing the door buttons.
Every train I drive has a guard, and for this I am very grateful. Safety, performance and customer support would all be compromised without a guard, and if you think these are bad enough now, they would only get worse.
The conductors are trying to save their jobs, but it is definitely in the interests of all travellers for them to be saved.

ApocalypseSlough Yes, I have read the posts. I can certainly believe in mismanagement.

Doesn't change the fact that drivers should be able to handle the stress of pressing the 'open doors' button. Southern operates mainly short-distance commuter routes. Conductors aren't necessary. Get rid.

Don't be so willfully ignorant. You love a bit of union bashing, particularly public transport.
Southern rail are spinning this wildly. The conductors are concerned about safety. They went on strike and Southern are punishing them now at the expense of the travelling public.
But hey, even if you had a signed letter from the CEO agreeing with me, you'd still blame the union.

MrTumbleForPM Yes, I can believe Southern might need to upgrade the cameras over doors. They should do that.