Train strikes: SWR say only travel 'if absolutely necessary' today
There's a significantly reduced service, due to industrial action by RMT members
Train passengers in Dorset are urged to only travel 'if absolutely necessary' today (Thursday 20th July) as another strike day's underway.
Members of the RMT union are walking out in a row over pay, on top of industrial action by ASLEF members all week as well.
South Western Railway (SWR) say there'll be a 'significantly reduced service' across the network today, with trains only running until 7.00pm tonight.
Many final services will depart from around 5.00pm.
No trains will run from stations in Dorset today, with services facing further disruption tomorrow (Friday 21st July), by the knock-on from today's strike, and the ongoing ASLEF industrial action.
There's also another strike day by the RMT on Saturday (22nd July).
Stuart Meek, Chief Operating Officer at South Western Railway, said:
“We’re sorry that customers will again face disruption due to industrial action by the ASLEF union and strike action by the RMT union.
“Anybody planning to travel on days affected by the ASLEF union’s industrial action should check their whole journey before they set off and be aware that services are likely to be busier than usual.
“As with the last ASLEF overtime ban, instead of making numerous short-notice amendments and cancellations to our standard timetable, we will operate an amended timetable that we have a high degree of confidence we can reliably and safely deliver. We hope this will give our customers greater certainty when planning their journeys.
“On days of strike action by the RMT union we are sorry to ask that customers should only travel if absolutely necessary."
On GWR, there'll be no services at all through Dorset today or Saturday, with only limited services from Weymouth to Bristol tomorrow (Friday 21st July).
In a statement, the train operator said:
"If you intend to travel where trains are running, please check before you travel. Trains that are operating will be busier than usual because GWR will not be able to offer the normal service frequency. Other train operators are also affected by this action, so onward travel could also be affected.
"Where GWR is able to run services, they are expected to be extremely busy and they are not able to provide bus replacement services."