Bank holiday rail strikes - impact on local services

PEOPLE in West Berkshire travelling by train over the upcoming May bank holiday are likely to see disrupted services because of strike action. 

Members of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport workers and members of the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association have voted in favour of taking industrial action in a dispute with Network Rail over jobs and pay.

The strike will see signallers, maintenance staff and station workers walk out from 5pm on May 25 in the first UK-wide rail strike in 20 years; affecting services from 12.01am on the Monday through to Wednesday morning.  

First Great Western said it intended to operate the following services subject to approval from Network Rail: 

• Paddington – Didcot, calling at Slough Maidenhead (Peak only) and Reading: Every 30 mins
• Paddington – Didcot, calling at Ealing Broadway, Southall Hayes and Harlington, West Drayton, Iver, Langley, Slough, Maidenhead, Twyford, Reading, Tilehurst, Pangbourne, Goring and Streatley, Cholsey and Didcot Parkway: Every 30 mins
• Paddington – Reading non-stop to operate during peak time only: Every 30 mins
• Paddington – Reading, calling at Acton Mainline, Ealing Broadway, West Ealing, Hanwell, Southall, Hayes and Harlington, West Drayton, Slough, Burnham, Taplow, Maidenhead, Twyford and Reading: Every 30 mins
• Branch line services to Bourne End/Marlow and Windsor to run every 20/30 mins

Network Rail has confirmed that they do not expect to be able to allow access to the following areas of the First Great Western network, and no trains will run after 00.01am on Monday, May 25 and Tuesday, May 26. Wednesday services are also likely to be affected.

• North Cotswolds line, from Oxford and calling at Worcester and Hereford, or services between Didcot and Oxford
• Beyond Plymouth to Penzance and on Devon and Cornwall branch line services
• Reading to Gatwick Airport/Reading to Basingstoke
• Between Swindon and Gloucester/Cheltenham
• Between Bath Spa and Portsmouth Harbour
• Between Reading and Taunton
• On the Henley-on-Thames and Greenford Branch lines
• On Severn Beach branch line

The company said that full refunds will be available for customers who have already bought tickets during the industrial action period and choose not to travel, and Season Ticket holders will be compensated for any days affected

Those with tickets for travel on Monday and Tuesday will also be able to use their ticket to travel on Sunday 24 May or Wednesday 27 May, subject to any travel restrictions that would normally apply to your ticket.

If you have an Advance Purchase ticket for Monday or Tuesday you will also able to travel on Sunday or Wednesday using the same service or one immediately before or after the booked time.

During Monday and Tuesday it is expected that services will operate at a reduced service frequency and advised travelers to check timetables on the day.