'˜Don't get the train to Airbourne' '“ say Southern Rail

Southern Rail bosses are advising hundreds of thousands of Airbourne fans across Sussex not to get the train on the first two days of the four-day show as it clashes with a planned strike.

The RMT has called a five-day strike from August 8-12, with the last two days coinciding with the first two days of Airbourne (August 11-14) – the annual festival of flight on Eastbourne seafront.

The town’s Chamber of Commerce bosses had written an open letter to rail chiefs raising fears that many of the 500,000-700,000 people who travel to attend Airbourne would not be able to get to Eastbourne by train.

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And they asked what steps Southern was taking to plan ahead.

But this morning (Wednesday, August 3) Southern has just advised people not to travel by train.

A Southern spokesman said, “Unfortunately, Thursday and Friday’s Eastbourne Airbourne events fall within the five-day strike that the RMT has announced. We are urging the union to call off this unnecessary action and are meeting with them at ACAS tomorrow, Wednesday, in an attempt to achieve this.

“The level of service we can offer during the strike is dependent on the contingency resources available and we will only be able to provide a much reduced service between Eastbourne and Brighton and no service at all between Ashford International and Eastbourne.

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“In light of this, we have no option other than to advise air show goers to seek alternative ways to get to and from the event.”

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