UK's Southern rail strike next week reduced to three days

LONDON, Jan 4 (Reuters) - Train drivers on Britain's Southern rail commuter network have cut a planned six-day strike on one of London's main commuter networks next week to three days, the ASLEF union said on Wednesday.

Strikes will now take place on January 10, 11 and 13 after ASLEF reduced the walkout which was due to last from January 9 to 14, the latest action in a long-running dispute over whose role it should be to open and close train doors.

Southern train services connect Brighton and Gatwick Airport to London, and are run by GTR, a joint venture owned by London-listed Go-Ahead and France's Keolis.

The network has been hit by months of industrial action, with stoppages by ASLEF and the RMT, which represents conductors, causing Britain's worst rail disruption for two decades in December.

"ASLEF's move shows pure contempt for the travelling public and it still causes massive disruption over next week," a Southern spokesman said. "These strikes are pointless and they should call the whole thing off and let common sense prevail." (Reporting by Sarah Young; editing by Michael Holden)