South Western Railway (SWR), owned by FirstGroup PLC (LON:FGP), has suffered another blow after overrunning engineering works disrupted travel on Monday morning.
The rail operator warned there would be no trains running between Surbiton and London Waterloo, with disruption expected to last all day. Woking, Surbiton, Raynes Park and Earlsfield stations were closed.
Network Rail apologises to commuters
It marks the latest disruption to hit SWR following a string of issues involving signal and points failures. Worker strikes in a long-running dispute over the future of train guards have also affected services.
Network Rail has apologised to passengers, saying it is working hard to reopen the lines "as soon as possible".
Southern and Thameslink services have also experienced disruption due to overrunning engineering work at various locations.
How the hell is this allowed to happen. Thousands and thousands of taxpayers unable to use the ridiculously expensive trains they need to get to work all because @networkrail can’t do their jobs properly #SackSirPeterHendy @transportgovuk @CommonsTrans @RailDeliveryGrp https://t.co/E2JmprrEyK
— Unhappy Commuter (@SWTSufferer) 19 November 2018
This time. My point is in general. South Western have run a poor service for pretty the whole year; this latest issue (while not of their own making I admit) is just one in a long series.
— Andrew Pryor-Jones (@AndyPryorJones) 19 November 2018
I dunno what’s worse : southern or south western railway ????
— ???? (@_rachelxmori) 19 November 2018
Tired of your robotic apologies, @SW_Railway. Apologies are cheaper than fixing #problems though, eh? #swrhelp #SouthWesternRailway #londonlife #raildelays #TFLers #MondayMood https://t.co/ypEkQuX7II
— Amanda Lee (@instapostcard_) 19 November 2018
A Department for Transport spokesman said: "We share the frustrations of passengers trying to get into London this morning.
"The disruption is unacceptable, and we are seeking an urgent explanation from Network Rail as to why their engineering works have overrun."
The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union called for the resignation of the transport secretary, Chris Grayling, over the latest travel issues.
The union’s general secretary, Mick Cash, said: “The chaos into Waterloo this morning is just another example of the fragmentation and division on Britain’s privatised railways where maintenance schedules and budgets are hacked to the bare bones while private operators like SWR are left with a free hand to rob the network blind in the name of profit.
“While the crisis on our railways deepens, the transport secretary, Chris Grayling, is markedly absent while he ponders his self-interest and a possible resignation from the May government. He should go, and he should go now.”
FirstGroup faces investor call for breakup
FirstGroup, which also owns Great Western Railway, last week rejected the latest investor call for a breakup of the company. New chief executive Matthew Gregory, previously finance chief, said the transport operator's margins were improving and that there was no need for a radical overhaul.
READ: FirstGroup promotes interim COO Mathew Gregory to CEO
Since rejecting takeover bids from Apollo Global Management LLC earlier this year, First Group has come under pressure from activist investors to consider a breakup. The group has reportedly attracted renewed interest from buyout firms including CVC Capital Partners.