Temporary timetable brought in for South Western Railway
Train services are being affected by staff shortages
Last updated 17th Jan 2022
South Western Railway has cut its timetable by nearly a third blaming staff shortages caused by coronavirus.
The temporary timetable from 17 January will see it operate 28 per cent fewer weekday trains compared with pre-pandemic levels.
The operator believes the new timetable will "sufficiently meet current demand".
It will mean changes to the normal arrival and departure times, as well as less frequent services to and from London.
Waterloo to Weymouth services will split at Bournemouth and the last services of the day will be earlier.
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."