Mass disruption to hit Somerset rail passengers amid strikes
Rail passengers are being urged only to travel if ‘absolutely necessary’ during train strikes planned for next month. South Western Railway (SWR) there will be major disruption[1] to its services due to strike action on September 1 and 2.
The action by members of the ASLEF Union will result in an ‘extremely limited service’ with the majority of the network[2] closed on September 1 with a significantly reduced service running on a limited number of lines on September 2
In addition to RMT Union strike[3] action taking place tomorrow (Saturday 26 August), members of the ASLEF Union will take strike action on Friday 1 September. This will be followed by an ASLEF Union ban on overtime working, together with strike action by members of the RMT Union, on Saturday 2 September.
This will be be the first strike action on the SWR network involving main line drivers. Previous days of ASLEF Union strike action was limited to depot drivers, who bring trains[5] in and out of service.
Customers are advised that there will be fewer trains than on previous strike days. Trains will only run between the hours of 7am and 7pm as follows:
-
London Waterloo to Woking – 4 trains per hour (tph) peak, 2 tph off-peak
-
London Waterloo to Twickenham – 2tph
-
London Waterloo to Basingstoke – 1tph
-
Salisbury to Basingstoke – 1tph
-
Guildford to Woking – 1tph
There will be no service on the Island Line. On Saturday 2 September, a significantly reduced service will operate on a limited number of lines. Large parts of the network will be closed. Trains[6] will only run between the hours of 7am and 7pm as follows:
-
London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside via Hounslow – 2tph
-
Windsor & Eton Riverside to London Waterloo – 2tph
-
London Waterloo to Basingstoke – 2tph
-
London Waterloo to Southampton Central – 2tph
-
London Waterloo to Woking – 4tph
-
Salisbury to Basingstoke – 1tph
-
Guildford to Woking – 1tph
-
London Waterloo to Ascot via Twickenham – 2tph
-
Ascot to London Waterloo via Hounslow – 2tph
A normal service will run on the Island Line. Journey planners are now up to date and the latest information is available at southwesternrailway.com/strike[7] . If customers must travel[8], they should check their entire journey as other train operators will be affected on both days of strike action.
Stuart Meek, South Western Railway’s chief operating officer, said: “This is the first time our network has been subject to full strike action by members of the ASLEF Union and, as a result, we are only able to offer an extremely limited service on Friday 1 September. Friday 1 September will be different to previous days of strike action[10] with a lot fewer trains running and with the majority of the network closed.
“Our advice to customers is to not travel unless your journey is absolutely necessary. The few services we will be running are likely to be extremely busy and we may have to use queuing systems and crowd control measures.
“A significantly reduced service[11] will operate the following day, Saturday 2 September, with more lines open but with large parts of the network still closed. Trains will only run between 0700 and 1900 and so our advice, again, is to only travel if journeys are absolutely necessary.
“If customers must travel on either day, they should check their entire journey before travelling, with other operators also impacted by strike action. We’re really sorry for the disruption.”
References
- ^ disruption (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
- ^ network (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
- ^ strike (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
- ^ Warning to pet owners as ‘toxic’ algae discovered at Somerset beauty spot (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
- ^ trains (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
- ^ Trains (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
- ^ southwesternrailway.com/strike (www.southwesternrailway.com)
- ^ travel (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
- ^ Protest to take place against ‘disgraceful’ bus depot closure (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
- ^ strike action (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
- ^ service (www.somersetlive.co.uk)