'Lock them all in a room': commuter’s advice on how to end the bitter series of rail strikes

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy After staring hopefully at the departure boards at London Waterloo for 40 minutes, rush-hour commuter Louise Lenarduzzi recommended a plan to end the bitter series of rail strikes: “Lock them all in a room and hopefully they can come to a solution as quickly as possible.” Members of the RMT union working for South Western Railway, Northern, Merseyrail and Greater Anglia are striking on Monday, Wednesday and Friday this week over the role of guards. South Western Railway, which runs to and from Britain’s busiest station, London Waterloo, told commuters: “We will once again be utilising the goodwill of our team of contingency guards to keep you moving and expect to run over 70 per cent of our normal Monday to Friday service. The Conservatives’ official Twitter account announced at 11.43am that transport secretary Chris Grayling would become party chairman. The RMT then issued an immediate press release calling for an “urgent meeting” with the new transport secretary, saying the replacement of Mr Grayling “opens up an opportunity for a new approach”.