South Western Railway to put on reduced service due to strikes

More than 2,100 SWR members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) and Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) unions will take part in Industrial action on Saturday, October 1. 

RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch said the union will continue to negotiate “in good faith” but told employers and government that the industrial campaign will continue “for as long as it takes.” 

Both unions are fighting to secure wage rises to help their members amidst soaring inflation and the cost of living crisis. 

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The train company has “urged” customers to only travel if “absolutely necessary” on October 1 and 2 and to expect significant disruption. 

SWR will run a “severely reduced” service on the Saturday between 7:15am and 6:30pm, however, it warned that “significant parts” of the network will be closed entirely – including all stations between Windsor and Feltham. 

The reduced timetable will consist of two trains per hour in each direction between London Waterloo and Feltham, two semi-fast trains per hour in each direction between London Waterloo and Basingstoke, four trains per hour in each direction between London Waterloo and Woking, and two fast trains per hour in each direction between London Waterloo and Southampton Central – trains will not stop at all the stations on these routes. 

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The following day will also be significantly impacted by the strike as the first trains will start much later than usual.  

SWR’s Performance and Planning Director, Steve Tyler, apologised for the disruption and advised customers who needed to travel to do so “by other means”. 

“We are grateful to our customers for their continued cooperation, patience, and understanding as the rail industry works to bring this damaging nationwide strike action to an end,” he added.