GWR rail disruption to continue to affect Berkshire commuters
Cancellations will continue for the rest of the week
Disruption to rail services in Berkshire due to cracks in trains is expected to continue for the rest of the week.
GWR tweeted that there would continue to be significant cancellations and disruption would continue all week.
Hitachi Class 800 trains were withdrawn from service on Saturday for safety checks after cracks were discovered in part of the chassis of several trains.
Great Western Railway (GWR) advised passengers with tickets for long-distance journeys on Monday “not to travel” as there was “no service or an extremely limited service” between London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads, Swansea, Penzance, Hereford and Cheltenham Spa.
One Twitter user posted a message stating she was “totally confused by the GWR website and app” while another wrote: “This is disgusting! There should be emergency trains running or buses or replacement services!”
Passengers in Reading can use TfL stopping services to Paddington, or SWR trains to Waterloo.
The Government called on the rail industry to “urgently set out a comprehensive plan” to resolve the disruption.
Rail minister Chris Heaton-Harris asked Hitachi – which builds and maintains the Class 800 trains – to identify the extent of the cracking and “whether carriages can still run safely” despite the issue, the Department for Transport said.
He also also urged the industry to manage capacity by using “alternative trains” on the affected routes and delivering a “clear rail replacement schedule” using buses and coaches.
A spokesman for Hitachi said the cracks are on lifting points under train carriages, which are used during maintenance.
He continued: “Safety is our number one priority and as a precaution this continues to impact the number of trains that can run in service.
“We acknowledge the Government’s clear direction regarding the forward repair plan and our teams continue to work day and night with the ORR, operators and independent experts.
“We thank passengers for their ongoing patience.”
Robert Nisbet, director of nations and regions at industry body the Rail Delivery Group, said if inspected trains are found to have “tiny cracks” then replacement trains may be deployed while repairs are carried out.
Mr Nisbet described the cancellations as “disappointing” because more passengers are returning to using the train network following the easing of coronavirus restrictions.