Comparing Terms

The agreement reached between ASLEF and Southern Railway over when a service can run without a second member of train crew differs only slightly from the agreement rejected by drivers in a ballot last March.

The key difference is that it can only be applied when all other options have been “fully exhausted”. Under the latest agreement, the three situations under which a train can run without an OBS are:

■ Late notification of OBS sickness (late notice is defined as less than two hours before booking on time.) The granting of emergency leave of OBS absence at the start of duty.

■ OBS displaced by service disruption, late running and driver/OBS error from misreading diagrams or being left behind on a platform.

■ OBS unable to continue duty having commenced booked diagram, for example through sickness or having to leave the service to assist with a customer service incident/emergency.

By way of comparison, the agreement rejected by drivers last March said that a train may run without a second member of staff on board when:

■ An OBS is absent, late on duty, and where there is no alternative cover.

■ An OBS is absent due to latenotice sickness or emergency leave.

■ OBS delayed whilst “passing” to work.

■ OBS displaced by late running or service disruption.

■ OBS unable to continue duty (ie: following an assault.) ■ Driver or OBS error; OBS has to leave the service to cope with a passenger incident.

Under the rejected March agreement, it was recognised that the CCTV cameras in older versions of Class 377 trains were safe, but of poor quality compared with newer equipment. The company said it would upgrade the cab equipment by Autumn 2020.

The new agreement brings that forward, stating: “The intention of the company is to provide the driver with an improved image quality in line with more recent compatible rolling stock… subject to a satisfactory trial, it is the intention of the company to complete the roll-out across the applicable fleet by Autumn 2019.”