Beth Doherty
Those travelling by train are being urged to only travel if absolutely necessary between 21st and 26th June due to planned national strikes by South Western Rail (SWR), Great Western Rail (GWR) and Network Rail.
Network Rail and more than 2,100 SWR RMT Union members are set to take strike action on Tuesday 21st, Thursday 23rd and Saturday 25th of June 2022, causing severe disruption.
As a result of the announced strike timetable, there will be no services running to or from Salisbury by SWR or GWR on the planned strike days.
Here’s what we know so far.
For those travelling by South Western Rail
South Western Railway (SWR) is urging customers only to travel by rail if absolutely necessary on the planned strike days – Tuesday 21st, Thursday 23rd and Saturday 25th of June 2022 and throughout that week.
On the strike days, (21st, 23rd and 25th June 2022) SWR will run a severely reduced timetable with significant parts of the network closed. A severely limited service will run between 07:15 and 18:30 on some routes for those who have no choice but to travel.
SWR will run a late-starting Sunday level of service across the network on 22nd, 24th and 26th June.
Customers should expect severe disruption and, if they have to travel, should seek to do so by other means.
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
- NB – Trains will not stop at all stations on these routes.
Island Line services will not be affected by the industrial action. There will be no SWR services across the rest of the network.
Significant disruption is also expected on Wednesday 22nd, Friday 24th and Sunday 26th June 2022, when the network will not be operational before 07:30 and a Sunday level of service will operate throughout the day.
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 21st and Sunday 26th 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.”
Network Rail route director Mark Killick commented, “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.”
Customers are urged to check the SWR website for the latest information at www.southwesternrailway.com/strike
For those travelling by Great Western Rail
GWR will also be running a significantly reduced timetable with only 30% of services operating on strike days.
GWR will operate as many trains as possible during the strike action however, most train services will be affected on the days announced. Due to the timing of the strike action, services in between strike days will also be affected.
Where trains are able to run, they are expected to be extremely busy and replacement bus services are not able to be provided.
On the days of strike action GWR say they expect to only be able to operate services along the following routes and stations:
On days when strike action is not taking place GWR expects to be able to operate the following reduced, service:
Online journey checkers are expected to be updated with the latest timetable information on the following dates:
According to GWR, customers who have already purchased tickets can claim a full refund or can amend their ticket; those who travel and are delayed may be entitled to delay repay compensation if they are delayed by 15 mins or more. Season ticket holders can apply for compensation through the Delay Repay scheme.
To help customers, GWR is allowing people with tickets for travel on strike days to be able to travel on the day before and up to two days after.
GWR Managing Director Mark Hopwood said, “We very much welcome the opportunity to continue to talk with the RMT to avert strike action. Any strike will impact on customers’ journeys and can only damage the post-covid recovery everyone at GWR has been working to win back, while at the same time making it more difficult to deliver the changes we need to secure jobs and services for the future.
“I’m hopeful the RMT will step back, however colleagues have been working hard to put contingency plans in place and give certainty to customers who need to travel. The priority will be to keep trains running and customers moving safely, but changes will be needed to allow that to happen and customers may wish to alter their plans.”
GWR will update this page with more information if the current situation changes.
Andy Munns
