Welsh rail services hit by staff shortages
Transport for Wales have introduced an "emergency timetable"
Last updated 21st Dec 2021
Rail passengers are being asked to check before they travel as Transport for Wales introduces an emergency rail timetable from tomorrow.
The firm are expecting a rise in staff shortages due to the emergence of the Omicron variant of Covid-19
Transport for Wales says the slimmed-down service will ensure the company can continue to provide a reliable service throughout this latest stage of the pandemic.
In a statement the firms said TfW and Network Rail had already seen a significant increase in staff absences since the beginning of December and this has started to impact rail services.
The statement read:
“Absences are expected to continue to rise sharply over the coming weeks due to the highly transmissible Omicron variant and therefore TfW will introduce a temporary amended timetable over the festive period.
“Whilst the company will continue to offer a significantly greater level of service compared to during the start of the pandemic in 2020, the new timetable will mean a marginal reduction in services.
“This equates to between 10-15% of the current timetable and is designed to reduce late notice cancellations as much as possible. It is aimed to provide customers with more reliability, allowing them to plan their journeys effectively over this important period.”
The new timetable will remain in place over the coming weeks and will be reviewed regularly as the rail industry in Wales monitors the impact of the new Omicron variant on staff levels.
All customers are urged to check www.tfw.wales before travelling and follow the up-to-date guidance from the Welsh Government.
Colin Lea, TfW Planning and Performance Director said:
“We are still very much dealing with a pandemic and have seen a major rise in colleague absences over the last few weeks. Since the beginning of December, the number of rail colleagues absent due to COVID 19 has doubled and this will continue to rise with the ongoing risk of the new Omicron variant.
“It’s fundamental we continue to run as reliable a service as possible for our customers and therefore we are introducing a new timetable from Wednesday 22 December, reducing the risk of late notice cancellations.
“Wherever we can, we’ll use any additional carriages made available due to the reduced timetable to run longer trains than normal, to aid with social distancing and provide supplementary road transport, when possible.
“We appreciate this will be frustrating for some customers, and we have not taken this decision lightly. We ask that all customers check online before they travel and follow all advice from Welsh Government.
“I’d also like to thank all our colleagues who are continuing to work in difficult conditions.”
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