:00:00. > :00:00.Hello and welcome to South Today, I'm Jo Kent.
:00:00. > :00:08.The top stories tonight: Venting their frustration with flowers.
:00:09. > :00:10.A peaceful protest from Southern Rail passengers but there's
:00:11. > :00:16.a glimmer of hope as driver strikes are suspended.
:00:17. > :00:19.An inquest finds a Sussex soldier was killed in friendly fire
:00:20. > :00:25.in Afghanistan because his comrade didn't take enough care.
:00:26. > :00:27.And heading for a nail-biting finish.
:00:28. > :00:30.Can sailor Alex Thompson succeed in his ambition to win
:00:31. > :00:44.There've been a few glimmers of hope for long-suffering Southern rail
:00:45. > :00:47.passengers today ? a three-day strike next week by Aslef
:00:48. > :00:53.The company's accepted the union's offer of talks at the TUC.
:00:54. > :00:57.It's also been revealed that season ticket holders may be
:00:58. > :01:00.able to get compensation through their credit cards.
:01:01. > :01:06.Roger Finn's at Chichester Station with the latest.
:01:07. > :01:07.Another day of delays and cancellations but
:01:08. > :01:11.some good news too - fresh talks between Southern and Aslef.
:01:12. > :01:15.And this time, they'll be chaired not by Acas but jointly by the TUC
:01:16. > :01:21.As a result, Aslef's called off strikes planned for Tuesday,
:01:22. > :01:28.A little boost for passengers who need it badly.
:01:29. > :01:31.To no-one's surprise, today it was revealed that Southern
:01:32. > :01:34.has been ranked lowest of all train companies in the annual survey
:01:35. > :01:39.of customer satisfaction by the consumer organisation Which?
:01:40. > :01:43.Nearly half Southern's passengers said their last journey was delayed.
:01:44. > :01:45.Today commuters turned the tables on the company
:01:46. > :01:49.with their own protest - flowers were laid at stations
:01:50. > :01:57.The idea is to mourn and pay tribute to what used to be a decent service.
:01:58. > :02:04.People are laying flowers and notes to the powers that be,
:02:05. > :02:07.so people have got an opportunity to express their anger
:02:08. > :02:10.at the situation, so that's been a success.
:02:11. > :02:13.One other Southern passenger managed to persuade his credit card company
:02:14. > :02:17.to give back half the cost of his season ticket on the grounds
:02:18. > :02:21.that Southern rail had failed to deliver the service it promised.
:02:22. > :02:24.Experts believe that could start a trend.
:02:25. > :02:27.If a few companies are starting to pay out credit cardholders,
:02:28. > :02:30.and we have one case, well, then it becomes standard
:02:31. > :02:32.industry practice and, even if you own a credit card
:02:33. > :02:35.company rejects you, you can then go to the ombudsman
:02:36. > :02:38.and it may well say, others have done it because of
:02:39. > :02:41.Southern rail's dire service, you are entitled to some
:02:42. > :02:45.season-ticket money back, you are also going to be paid out.
:02:46. > :02:52.But for those simply hoping the commuting nightmare will end,
:02:53. > :03:01.I haven't got a massive amount of hope, I guess,
:03:02. > :03:05.because I've lost faith in the fact that anything will ever be resolved.
:03:06. > :03:07.What people don't realise is that, when the strikes stop
:03:08. > :03:13.being in the news, we just go back to the delays that we've always had.
:03:14. > :03:16.One sign of the passions the disruption's causing -
:03:17. > :03:19.at Bognor Station yesterday, just down the line from Chichester
:03:20. > :03:25.here, a passenger went into a train cab and abused the driver.
:03:26. > :03:29.Apparently, he swore at the driver and demanded to know why
:03:30. > :03:35.A union official described it as a serious breach of safety
:03:36. > :03:38.and said the driver was so upset, he decided not to attempt to drive
:03:39. > :03:45.Well, earlier, I spoke to our transport correspondent,
:03:46. > :03:48.Paul Clifton, and asked him whether commuters should be
:03:49. > :04:01.Just last week, the head of the drivers' union said the two
:04:02. > :04:04.sides weren't so much on different planets as occupying
:04:05. > :04:14.So let's be clear - we are a long way from a deal.
:04:15. > :04:16.But Aslef, the company and the government are all making
:04:17. > :04:21.Maybe this time really will be different.
:04:22. > :04:24.The difficulty is this - a dispute about the safety merits
:04:25. > :04:26.of some specific aspects of Driver-Only Operation on Southern
:04:27. > :04:32.routes has been masked by the wider political battle.
:04:33. > :04:35.The government and the union have each invested too much political
:04:36. > :04:43.Neither can afford to be perceived in public as the loser.
:04:44. > :04:45.But next week's Aslef strikes are suspended.
:04:46. > :04:48.The overtime ban, which has caused the cancellation of one
:04:49. > :04:54.in four services every day, is suspended too.
:04:55. > :04:57.The RMT union, which represents conductors, has asked
:04:58. > :05:04.But for now, its separate strike next Monday is still on.
:05:05. > :05:07.So, for passengers, this is the most encouraging day in a long time.
:05:08. > :05:13.But let me repeat - we have been here before.
:05:14. > :05:16.A 22-year-old soldier from Shoreham-by-Sea in West Sussex
:05:17. > :05:19.lost his life in Afghanistan because a comrade did not take
:05:20. > :05:23.sufficient care and fired in the wrong direction.
:05:24. > :05:25.That's the conclusion of an inquest into the death
:05:26. > :05:28.of Lance Corporal James Brynin, who was killed in a so-called
:05:29. > :05:36.Lance Corporal James Brynin was described as an outstanding
:05:37. > :05:43.His death in Afghanistan came though not at the hands of the Taliban
:05:44. > :05:47.but instead a careless comrade - Lance Corporal Mark Kelly shooting
:05:48. > :05:50.James dead after firing in the wrong direction
:05:51. > :05:56.The coroner said today there was insufficient evidence
:05:57. > :05:59.to return a conclusion of unlawful killing to the obvious
:06:00. > :06:04.Whilst we are very upset and disappointed at having waited
:06:05. > :06:08.so long for this lengthy process to conclude, and no charges
:06:09. > :06:12.or punishment and no genuine guilt has been acknowledged by the MoD
:06:13. > :06:14.or Lance Corporal Kelly, it is and has always
:06:15. > :06:18.been our opinion that Kelly knew what he had done within moments
:06:19. > :06:21.of firing the round that killed our son, James.
:06:22. > :06:23.Rather than acknowledging he did wrong, he instead
:06:24. > :06:27.The simple facts remain that his errors led directly
:06:28. > :06:46.He has and will for ever have James's blood on his hands. He was a
:06:47. > :06:50.highly talented and professional soldier, our thoughts are with his
:06:51. > :06:53.family, friends and colleagues at this very difficult time. He has
:06:54. > :06:58.made the ultimate sacrifice and we must never forget him. Today his
:06:59. > :07:03.family are having to come to terms with the coroner's conclusion that
:07:04. > :07:09.James died at the hands of a colleague who became disoriented in
:07:10. > :07:10.a firefight and did not take enough care.
:07:11. > :07:14.A van driver who was texting at the wheel when he hit and killed
:07:15. > :07:16.a cyclist has lost his appeal to have his sentence reduced.
:07:17. > :07:20.Lee Martin was taking part in a cycling event when he was hit
:07:21. > :07:22.by Christopher Gard's van on the A31 near Bentley in Hampshire
:07:23. > :07:25.Gard was jailed for nine years for causing death
:07:26. > :07:28.He had seven previous convictions for using a mobile
:07:29. > :07:34.It's sailing's toughest race and the Gosport sailor Alex Thompson
:07:35. > :07:38.is tonight edging closer to his Vendee Globe dream.
:07:39. > :07:41.Thompson is aiming to be the first British winner of the single-handed
:07:42. > :07:43.non-stop round-the-world race and is still closing the gap
:07:44. > :07:46.on the leader with less than 48 hours to go.
:07:47. > :08:01.The 73rd day of racing and the Alex Thompson, there could be barely two
:08:02. > :08:06.more to go. The pair are heading for the finish line on the French coast.
:08:07. > :08:10.Thompson is currently moving more quickly at 15 knots. He is gaining
:08:11. > :08:17.on the Paul Lawrie race favourite with every update. A week ago, it
:08:18. > :08:20.was more than 200 miles. It has been predicted the finish will be very
:08:21. > :08:25.close. A view shared by the man who was the first to sail around the
:08:26. > :08:29.globe nonstop single-handed. His performance so far in this race has
:08:30. > :08:35.been really incredible. The speeds he has been achieving, just
:08:36. > :08:45.phenomenal. He has gone five times faster than I did 48 years ago. It
:08:46. > :08:49.is just remarkable. Taking the right course, judging the weather
:08:50. > :08:55.patterns, this race for the line could still be at the mercy of the
:08:56. > :09:01.nation. The 2-mac readers will have a say in weather conditions. 10-15
:09:02. > :09:06.knots in the South East and the winds will become light. The winds
:09:07. > :09:09.will switch direction to a North westerly airflow, dragging in
:09:10. > :09:15.bitterly cold air, and the air, with a high-pressure, will become very
:09:16. > :09:20.unstable. Irregular wind directions and speed. At the hands like this,
:09:21. > :09:25.there is still a good chance. He can still pull it off, which would be
:09:26. > :09:30.phenomenal. Organisers now believe the first boat to arrive on Thursday
:09:31. > :09:31.morning. If previous finishes to be repeated, the scenes could be
:09:32. > :09:34.special. But will be the British special. But will be the British
:09:35. > :09:53.flag flying high in France? Alex Thompson has closed the gap
:09:54. > :09:57.further. For some of us, a frost, for others, a good deal of cloud. A
:09:58. > :10:01.cold night for many places. More cloud the further north and west you
:10:02. > :10:06.are. The frost will develop down to the south and east and towards the
:10:07. > :10:10.south coast. Temperatures even in towns and cities could drop the
:10:11. > :10:17.freezing waters below. Cold, frosty and a misty start the day tomorrow.
:10:18. > :10:21.There is that North West, South East are split. The best of the sunshine
:10:22. > :10:24.down towards the south coast and Southeast and for the Isle of Wight.
:10:25. > :10:30.Temperatures will struggle to rise to a high of 3-5 Celsius. Through
:10:31. > :10:36.the cause of tomorrow night, the cloud will pick even further. We may
:10:37. > :10:39.have low cloud, Mr Fog patches and places. High pressure will dominate
:10:40. > :10:46.our weather. A misty and murky start. Most places will stay dry.
:10:47. > :10:51.Thursday is a very similar data Friday. A fair amount of cloud, a
:10:52. > :10:54.lot of dry weather but on Friday, outbreaks of light rain and drizzle
:10:55. > :10:59.during the middle part of the day. Over the next few days, the winds
:11:00. > :11:00.will be fairly light but coming in from the north-east, dragging in the
:11:01. > :11:03.cooler air. from time to time. Staying settled
:11:04. > :11:08.still. Nick has the national forecast this evening.
:11:09. > :11:12.Hello. If you are watching the football earlier it turned out to be
:11:13. > :11:18.an evening for football fans in Lincolnshire. This is how it looked
:11:19. > :11:20.at the start of the day. No idea whether this weather watcher is a
:11:21. > :11:25.football fan, it's a fan of weather that matters here. All sorts of
:11:26. > :11:28.weather, from 13 in Aberdeenshire to two, despite the sunshine in Kent. I
:11:29. > :11:33.wonder if this six in the cloud across the Midlands into northern
:11:34. > :11:36.England and parts of Wales felt colder, particularly in these misty
:11:37. > :11:40.and foggy conditions in this weather watcher view. Some drizzly rain
:11:41. > :11:43.around at times still from the thicker cloud into parts of England
:11:44. > :11:47.and Wales overnight, hill fog too. Cloud for Scotland and Northern
:11:48. > :11:50.Ireland, although a few breaks in eastern Scotland and close to
:11:51. > :11:51.freezing, but the coldest