Temporary timetable brought in for South Western Railway
Train services are being affected by staff shortages
South Western Railway (SWR) say they're having to alter their timetables from this morning (Monday 17th January) to 'ensure reliability for customers and cater to key workers, school pupils and those who cannot work from home'.
The operator, which runs services through Salisbury and Tisbury, is also facing staff shortages across the network due to Covid and self-isolation, which has led to cancellations.
SWR believe the new timetable will 'sufficiently meet current demand'.
But it will mean changes to the normal arrival and departure times, as well as less frequent services to and from London.
Waterloo to Exeter services will also split at Salisbury, meaning fewer carriages continuing on towards the South West.
The last services of the day are also going to be earlier than they have been.
We're asked to check before we travel for the latest timetables.
The temporary changes will be in place until further notice.
SWR’s Managing Director Claire Mann said:
“The spread of the Omicron variant has had a significant impact on our railway, with fewer people using the train and staff shortages impacting on our ability to consistently deliver the current timetable.
“Having assessed demand and spoken to our industry colleagues, we believe this new timetable is the most effective means of ensuring our customers receive a reliable service, with short-notice cancellations minimised.
“Journey planners will be updated on a week-by-week basis, with updates taking place towards the end of each week. Customers should check their journey as close to their time of travel as possible.”