About Southern Rail
Southern Saga
Finally it has happened. The total shutdown of the UK’s worst railway by its own staff.
This disgraceful situation has of course been brought about by deadlock in very limited negotiations about what we the people think is an inconsequential issue about doors. Who should open them and who close them>
They should worry! Here in Great Western Land we still have slam door trains!
Southern Rail’s problems seem to stem from two issues, the immovable object (the Government) and the unstoppable force (the unions).
Wait a minute! What has the government got to do with Southern Rail?
The Government as an Employer
Evidence to date shows that ‘companies’ that are either run by the government or were a government body for many years fail to perform almost without exception. This is because they have had a public sector mindset instilled.
Here are some examples:
- Railtrack -> National Rail
- The Royal Mail
- Southern Rail
These organisations have a fatal combination of poor management as has been covered in many news articles and TV documentaries and they are all of course subject to significant union presence which in essence means that they will be several decades behind modern private sector organisations in terms of structure and capability.
Southern Rail’s only possible escape from its current problem is to become a truly private sector organisation and gain the successes that other rail companies in the country share.
After all, Southern Rail’s only difference is that it is not privately owned and run. Thereby hangs the problem. Being held by the public sector there are few of the pressures any commercial organisation would face to bring a resolution to this problem. Southern Rail can hang on at the tax payers expense indefinitely or until political pressure reaches a critical point.
Many other railway companies have trains with driver controlled doors!
