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Industrial action set to affect GWR railway services

PA Media Photo of a GWR train with a city in the backgroundPA Media
Disruptions to services may last until Saturday, 9 December

Industrial action is set to disrupt rail services for people travelling between London, the West, South West and Wales.

Great Western Railway (GWR) is warning there will be significant disruption to services on Thursday because of strikes by members of union Aslef.

Customers are advised to travel before or after Thursday.

There will be no trains to Bath Spa which will affect people travelling to see the city's Christmas market.

GWR says it will operate a very limited service between the following destinations:

  • London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads (not calling at Bath)
  • London and Oxford
  • Reading and Basingstoke
  • Reading and Redhill (peak time only)
  • Reading and Newbury (peak time only)
  • Westbury and Swindon
  • Bristol Temple Meads and Cardiff
  • Exeter St David's and Barnstaple (peak time only)
  • Exeter and Exmouth (calling at Exeter Central, Digby and Topsham only)
  • Plymouth and Gunnislake
  • Penzance and St Ives

GWR said it expects any trains that do run will be extremely busy.

Trains will also start later and finish earlier, and customers are advised to check the time of last trains. It is not possible for a bus replacement service to be operated.

Rail tickets for strike days will be valid for travel on alternative days on GWR services.

Tickets from Saturday, 2 December to Friday, 8 December can be used the day before or up to and including Tuesday, 12 December.

Industrial action short of a strike will continue up to and including Saturday, 9 December and is likely to cause some short-notice alterations and cancellations.

Aslef says its members are taking the action over a lack of progress in salary negotiations, and claims train drivers have not had a pay rise for five years.

Mick Whelan, Aslef's general secretary, said that while the cost of living has soared, drivers' pay has not increased since 2019.

It is "unrealistic - and unfair - to expect our members to work just as hard for what, in real terms, is considerably less", he added.

Rail Minister Huw Merriman accused the union of "choosing to cause more misery for passengers and the hospitality sector this festive period".

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