Rail regulator urged to probe claims Southern 'axed trains despite crew availability'

The rail regulator is being urged to launch an investigation into claims that Southern Railway cancelled trains and blamed staff shortages despite drivers and guards being available to work.

Union leaders accused the company of "deliberate sabotage" and called for action by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR ).

Southern, which strongly denied the allegation, is taking a legal case to the Court of Appeal on Monday in a bid to stop strikes by drivers in the run up to Christmas and the New Year.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd hit out over drivers union Aslef's planned three days of strikes this week, calling it "totally unacceptable".

But the union said that the company is "deliberately sabotaging" its service, claiming that a number of trains from Eastbourne in Sussex were cancelled throughout the day on Saturday, even though drivers were available.

RMT's Mick Cash said the ORR should investigate the claims. Credit: PA

Aslef official Graham Morris told the Press Association: "Southern is deliberately sabotaging the service to strengthen its argument in court by suggesting that Aslef is responsible for the cancellations.

"Drivers and other crew were sitting around in Eastbourne available to work."

A Southern spokesman said: "This is absolute fabricated nonsense. It is the unjustified industrial action by the union which is causing disruption for passengers.

"We are trying to provide the best possible service under very challenging circumstances. If anyone is sabotaging services it's the union."

Mick Cash, general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union, who are involved in a separate dispute over conductors, said: "Southern have moved from a position of just peddling lies to one of deliberate sabotage of services just to give them another excuse to stick the boot into their own staff.

"That is a disgraceful and cynical development that proves that the company could not give two hoots about the travelling public, running a safe and reliable rail service or resolving the current dispute.

"Throughout the past year the Office of Rail and Road, supposedly an independent regulator, have either sat on their hands or sided with Southern Rail.

"It is now time for the ORR to get off their backsides and thoroughly investigate this scandal on Britain's biggest rail franchise."

One rail worker in Eastbourne said: "There is a crew room full of frustrated drivers and guards who are puzzled as to why the company would create this disruption and blame it on us."

The Home Secretary said the strikes were 'totally unacceptable'. Credit: PA

Aslef's three-day strike this week is set to disrupt the 500,000 passengers who use the service every day.

But the Home Secretary, also MP for Hastings and Rye, slammed the strikes saying that Southern's plans would "lead to better journeys for passengers".

"I call on both sides to come together and bring an end to this miserable period of strikes and industrial action suffered by our constituents," she said.

Drivers from Aslef and the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) are due to strike on Tuesday December 13, Wednesday December 14 and Friday December 16, and for six days in January.