As you will likely have already seen, the RMT union has announced that strike action will take place on Wednesday 27th July 2022. Strikes will be taking place on most other Train Operating Companies and at Network Rail on this date and our services will be significantly affected as a result. There will also be knock on impacts on the following day, Thursday 28th July.
As with the recent strike dates we wanted to share with you the press release we have issued today (which you can find below). This messaging will also appear on our website, in posters and displays at our stations, and in announcements made across our network.
We will be in touch again once we have finalised our plans for these dates and will publish details on our website, so please check https://www.southwesternrailway.com/industrial-action for the latest updates.
If you have any questions about the potential impact of these strikes, please feel free to contact us via stakeholders@swrailway.com so that we can coordinate our responses and keep a record of enquiries.
You have received this email as one of the stakeholders on our network, so that we can provide information about upcoming strike action. If you do not want to receive these emails in the future, or if there is someone else at your organisation who you would want to receive them instead of, or as well as, you please let me know by reply.
Kind regards,
Matt
South Western Railway responds to new RMT strike date
- Industrial action to take place on Wednesday 27 July, with disruption to continue on Thursday 28 July.
- Customers warned to expect severe disruption on both days and change plans if possible.
- SWR expects to run a significantly reduced strike timetable, which will see significant parts of the network closed.
Severe disruption is expected across the South Western Railway (SWR) network on Wednesday 27 and Thursday 28 July, following the announcement of a new RMT strike.
The national rail walk-out is set to take place on the Wednesday, but the knock-on effect of the strike means that a late starting reduced service is likely to run on the following day.
SWR is working closely with Network Rail to produce an amended timetable for the affected days. Service levels are expected to be similar to those during the last strike period in June, when a severely reduced number of trains ran on just a handful of key routes.
Rail customers are being urged to consider alternatives to travelling by rail on Wednesday 27 July and the morning of 28 July.
Commenting, SWR’s Managing Director Claire Mann said:
“It is bitterly disappointing that the RMT has announced this latest strike date. We know how damaging and disruptive industrial action can be, and I’m sorry to all those who’s plans will be disrupted by this damaging strike.
“We are working hard to finalise a contingency timetable, but we expect we’ll have no choice but to close significant parts of our network on Wednesday 27 July, with severe disruption expected on the following day.
“That’s why we’re urging customers who are planning to use our services on Wednesday 27 and Thursday 28 July to begin making alternative arrangements”.
SWR will publish details of its reduced timetable when finalised and customers should check the website for latest updates: https://www.southwesternrailway.com/industrial-action.
As with the previous RMT industrial action, the Island Line is not affected.
