Wandsworth Council leader Ravi Govindia has welcomed the government's announcement that it is sending in a “hit squad” to deliver improvements at crisis-stricken Southern Rail, labelling the strikes as "completely unacceptable". 

On Thursday, the transport secretary Chris Grayling unveiled a team of rail industry experts tasked with the job of “banging heads” at the struggling train franchise. 

The so-called "hit squad" has been allocated £20 million to spend on improvements to the network's service. 

Southern’s service has been marred by severe disruptions in recent months due to high levels of staff sickness and ongoing industrial action by the RMT union.

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Councillor Govindia had previously written to the secretary of state Patrick McLoughlin urging him to intervene in the running of the company.

Cllr Govindia said: “This news will be welcomed by the many thousands of Wandsworth residents who have had to endure exceptionally poor levels of performance on Southern’s network on an almost daily basis.

“Tackling the last minute cancellations, improving punctuality and delivering a much better service for passengers is long overdue. 

"Hopefully, the introduction of this team of industry experts to take control of the franchise means there is some light at the end of the tunnel.”

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He added: “It is now time for the rail unions to call off their prolonged campaign of industrial action on Southern. 

"It is completely unacceptable to make the travelling public suffer such constant disruption to their lives.”