Fury as strikes add to misery

Commuters at Waterloo are exasperated as the SWT strikes mean they face yet more disruption to what they say is an already poor service.

Melly Beresford, 39, from Surrey, who works in an accountancy firm in the City, said: "I'm absolutely furious and disgusted.

"Why do they think that the only way to get their point across is to make everyone suffer? It doesn't achieve anything, it only causes excessive irritation in commuters.

"I will have to struggle in like everyone else, or rely on lifts, as I can't take any more days off."

Mark Hogarth, 40, a City banker from Surbiton, said: "It's a diabolical service anyway. We get treated worse than animals in this system and it is very frustrating.

Traditionally, striking used to be a last resort, now it is the first resort. By acting like this, they lose public sympathy."

Sean Williams, 39, a special needs teacher from Shepperton, said: "I will have to arrange other transport. There must be another way to deal with the problem."

Writer Jo Symons, 41, who lives in Winchester, Hampshire, said SWT should give passengers free travel to help "relieve the pain".

She added: "It is very irritating but I do have some sympathy for the staff, although it doesn't help that the train service is really horrible at the moment.

"It just causes aggravation that we don't need. I'll have to cancel meetings because I don't know if I'll make it in."

Paul Champion, 30, an employment headhunter from Surbiton, also called for compensation.

He said: "It's a bloody nuisance. I pay for a service and I expect it to be delivered. I have just forked out £135 for my monthly pass this morning and what do I get for it? Nothing! We should all be compensated for all the days they are on strike. The trains are up to half an hour late on a daily basis anyway. It's just not good enough."

Katy Ellis, 24, a bank worker in the City who also lives in Surbiton, questioned the timing of the strikes.

She said: "They chose their timing very strategically so they could cause as many problems as possible. We just don't need this so soon after Christmas. I'm very annoyed; the trains are unreliable enough at the best of times."

Jung Moo Jung, 39, a commercial banker from Esher, Surrey, said: "It's a nuisance. My boss wants us at work at a certain time. He has an Oriental work ethic and he doesn't care.

"Whatever the reason, you have to be at work on time."

Student Alex Belassie, 19, who lives in Dorking, Surrey, said: "It is a huge pain to put it mildly. It will be a nightmare.

"The roads will be congested and the Tubes will be packed and you won't be able to get on them anyway."