Local trains to reduced to industrial action next week

On Monday, May 6th, the Early May Bank Holiday, a revised service will operate across the SWR network due to a ban on overtime working by the ASLEF union.

Engineering work will also take place with line closures in the Aldershot, Reading, Salisbury and Winchester areas, leading to further service changes.

Customers should check before travelling.

On Tuesday 7th May, a significantly reduced service will run on a limited number of lines due to strike action by the ASLEF union. Large parts of the network will be closed, and trains will only run between:

There will be no services to stations such as Southampton Central, Portsmouth Harbour, Windsor & Eton Riverside, Reading, or Exeter St Davids, and there will also be no service on the Island Line.

Trains will only run between 0700 and 1900. There will be no services outside of these times.

Customers are advised only to travel if their journeys are absolutely necessary. If customers must travel, they should check before they travel using journey planners, which are expected to be up to date on Tuesday, 30th April.

The overtime ban will again mean revised service across the SWR network from Wednesday, 8th May, to Saturday, 11th May.

Customers should check before travelling.

Journey planners for Wednesday 8th, through to Saturday 11th, are expected to be up to date on Saturday 4th of May.

A South Western Railway spokesperson said: “We are sorry to announce that, due to a ban on overtime working by the ASLEF union, along with planned engineering work, there will be disruption on the Early May Bank Holiday, Monday 6 May. A revised service will operate across our network so it is important that customers check before they travel.

“Strike action will take place the following day, Tuesday 7 May, and we are asking customers to only travel if their journeys are absolutely necessary. We will run a significantly reduced service with large parts of our network closed, and trains will only run between 7am and 7pm.

“The overtime ban will then continue from Wednesday 8 to Saturday 11 May which will again mean a revised service. Engineering work will take place on Saturday 11 leading to further service changes, so once again, we are encouraging customers to check before travelling.

“We are very sorry for the disruption that this industrial action will cause and are very thankful for our customers' continued patience.”

Strike action will impact other train operators on different days during the industrial action period.

Customers are advised to check their whole journey before travelling between Monday 6th and Saturday 11th May.