Majority of Transport for Wales services will be suspended for two days in October due to strike action
The majority of Transport for Wales (TfW) services across the Wales and Borders network will be suspended on two days in October due to the on-going national industrial action.
The National Union of Rail, Maritime, and Transport Workers (RMT) has announced two days of strike action will take place on Saturday 1 and Saturday 8 October, across Network Rail and 15 train operators.
ASLEF has also announced strike action on Saturday 1 and Wednesday 5 October across 12 train operators, while TSSA have announced strike action on 1 October at Network Rail and 11 train operators.
TfW is not involved in this industrial action, but as a result of the dispute between unions and Network Rail, the rail operator will be unable to operate a number of rail services on Network Rail infrastructure on 1 and 8 October, while some services will be much busier than usual on 5 October.
On Saturday 1 and Saturday 8 October – there will be a very limited rail service in the south of Wales people are being asked not to travel by train.
No other TfW services across Wales and the Borders network will be able to operate.
On Friday 30 September and Friday 7 October – the days before the strikes – there is also expected to be disruption and services will be much busier than usual.
Passengers are being advised to only travel if necessary on Friday 30 September and 7 October, and to “check online journey planners for any short-notice late night service alterations as a result of the following day’s strike action.”
On Sunday 2 and 9 October, no trains will run before 07:00 on these days, and those trains that do run are likely to be much busier than usual – particularly the first services of the day.
There is also expected to be disruption to services due to trains being displaced from the previous day’s strike action.
On Wednesday 5 October, TfW said “some of our services are likely to be extremely busy as a result of the severely-reduced timetable put in place by other operators.” This includes:
- Services between Chester and Holyhead
- Services between Chester and Manchester Airport
- Services between Crewe and Manchester Piccadilly
- Services between Carmarthen and Newport
- Services between Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton
- Services between Cardiff and Cheltenham
TfW said: “Due to the closure of Birmingham New Street station, services between North Wales and Birmingham International will terminate at Wolverhampton.”
“Customers are advised to only travel if necessary and customers are encouraged to travel via the alternative dates of Tuesday 4 or Thursday 6 October.”
“Amended timetables for Wednesday 5 October will be in online journey planners from Thursday 29 September.”
More information about the industrial action can be found on the TfW website here.
