Southern Rail
The 24-hour strike comes amid a dispute over the role of train guards on Southern Rail services Getty

Commuters across the south of England are facing travel disruption on Wednesday (18 May 2016) as Southern Rail conductors stage a 24-hour walkout on some of the busiest routes into London stations.

The strike is being carried out by members of the Rail Maritime and Transport union (RMT) and is taking place amid concerns over the future of guards and conductors working for the operator. Services are due to return to normal from Thursday morning (19 May).

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The industrial action started shortly after midnight on Wednesday, and is to have a significant impact on all Southern services. There are no services on many routes and limited services between 7.30am and 6pm on others.

Which services are not running?

A map showing the impact of the strike on each station is available to download. No Southern trains are operating on the following routes:

  • Clapham Junction to Milton Keynes via Kensington Olympia
  • Dorking to Horsham
  • Oxted to Uckfield
  • Haywards Heath to Lewes
  • Preston Park to Hove
  • Lewes to Seaford
  • Eastbourne to Ashford International via Hastings, although Southeastern services will operate between St Leonards Warrior Square and Hastings as normal
  • Chichester to Portsmouth Harbour and Southampton Central. South West Trains and Great Western Railway services will operate between Havant and Portsmouth Harbour/Southampton Central as normal
  • Redhill to Tonbridge
  • Redhill to Reigate. Great Western Railway services will operate on this route as normal
  • Earlswood, Salfords and Faygate stations will not be served

Which routes have a limited service?

Although some services on the following routes are running, they are expected to be extremely busy. A limited service is to operate from 7.30am to 10.30pm on the following routes:

  • London Bridge – Norwood Junction – East Croydon – Sanderstead – Riddlesdown – Upper Warlingham – Woldingham – Oxted – Hurst Green – Lingfield – Dormans – East Grinstead
  • London Victoria – Clapham Junction – East Croydon – Redhill – Gatwick Airport – Three Bridges

A limited service will operate from approximately 7.30am to 6pm on the following routes:

  • Three Bridges – Crawley – Ifield - Littlehaven – Horsham – Christs Hospital – Billingshurst – Pulborough – Amberley – Arundel – Ford – Barnham – Chichester
  • Brighton – Hove – Aldrington – Portslade – Fishersgate – Southwick – Shoreham – Lancing – East Worthing – Worthing – West Worthing – Durrington – Goring – Angmering – Littlehampton – Ford – Barnham – Bognor Regis
  • Brighton – London Road – Moulsecoomb – Falmer – Lewes – Glynde – Berwick – Polegate – Hampden Park – Eastbourne

What about Southern Metro?

Southern Rail is the only provider affected. Southern Metro services will operate a normal service, as will all other operators. Metro services between Purley, Croydon and London Bridge and London Victoria are expected to be much busier than normal.