Rail strikes will see no trains running through Salisbury
Three days of planned strike action will take place next week
South Western Railway and Great Western Railway say no passenger trains will be running through Salisbury during next week's rail strikes.
Network Rail has confirmed which lines will be affected by the industrial action next Tuesday 21st, Thursday 23rd and Saturday 25th June.
Meanwhile, passengers are being told to expect severe disruption for the rest of the week as well, on non-strike days.
South Western Railway are urging customers to only travel if absolutely necessary.
SWR say customers should expect severe disruption and, if they have to travel, should seek to do so by other means.
Network Rail and more than 2,100 SWR RMT members are set to take strike action.
SWR’s reduced timetable will run from 07:15 to 18:30 on the three strike days, and will consist of:
• Four trains per hour in each direction between Waterloo and Windsor via Hounslow
• Two semi-fast trains per hour in each direction between Waterloo and Basingstoke
• Four trains per hour in each direction between Waterloo and Woking
• Two fast trains per hour in each direction between Waterloo and Southampton
Trains will not stop at all stations on these routes.
There will be no SWR services across the rest of the network.
South Western Railway’s Managing Director, Claire Mann, said:
“The sheer scale of this planned industrial action severely limits the number of trains we can run and routes we can serve, which is reflected in the reduced timetable we have published today.
“With this disruption set to be so considerable, I regretfully urge customers to only travel by rail if absolutely necessary between Tuesday 21 and Sunday 26 June.
“I am sorry these strikes will cause such disruption and am grateful to our customers for their patience and understanding as the rail industry works to bring this damaging nationwide action to an end.”
Customers are urged to check the SWR website for latest information
Great Western say they plan on running 30% of its usual timetable on strike days and 50% on the other days.
Network Rail route director Mark Killick said:
“We’re so sorry for the disruption next week and we know how difficult this will be for our customers so soon after the pandemic. We’ve trained 250 staff so we can keep some of the busiest lines open, focussing our resources on the routes that can keep the largest numbers of customers and freight moving and serving vital locations such as hospitals. That said, we will not compromise on safety and the strike does mean that large parts of the network will be closed.
“We are continuing to work with unions to find a solution and will keep doing so. But we also have to be honest and accept that we have to change the way we work, to reflect the changes in society and travel patterns post pandemic. Again, I’d like to apologise to everyone who find their journeys disrupted next week and urge our customers to check before they travel.”