MORE travel misery is in prospect for racing fans as train strikes are set to cause chaos for next week’s Epsom Derby.
Strike action has been announced which will effect BOTH days of the Derby festival.
PAThose planning to attend the Derby are faced with the prospect of having to travel much, much earlier[/caption]
To make matters worse, Tattenham Corner, Epsom Downs and Epsom stations will all be shut on both Derby day and Ladies’ day.
Strike action will impact SWR services from May 31 to June 3 and punters have been advised not to travel on June 2.
No Southern, Thameslink, Great Northern or Gatwick Express trains will operate, meaning options are limited.
There are no National Express hubs near Epsom either, further complicating matters for those without a car.
It’s another big blow for this year’s Derby, which will be run at 1.30pm for the first time in its history.
That’s due to a clash with the FA Cup final on the same day, which sees the Derby run at its earliest ever time.
Aslef, the British trade union for train drivers, is striking due to a long-running dispute over pay and conditions.
The strike was originally announced on April 27, with the union rejecting a ‘risible’ 4 per cent pay offer from the 16 train operators it’s in dispute with.
General secretary Mick Whelan said at the time: “The proposal – of just 4 per cent – was clearly not designed to be accepted as inflation is still running north of 10 per cent and our members at these companies have not had an increase for four years.”
The race, one of the five British Flat Classics, will be broadcast on ITV and will also be aired on Racing TV.
Strike action will be an enormous headache for many, but one punter on Twitter managed to see the funny side.
They joked: “With a train strike that day we’ll have to use a horse and cart to get to Epsom.”
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