GWR warns rail services are still disrupted after strikes called off

Great Western Railway is still warning travellers to "only travel if absolutely necessary" today despite planned rail strikes being called off.

A series of planned strikes by railway workers in a long-running dispute over jobs, pay and conditions was suspended on Friday afternoon.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) had been due to stage 24-hour walkouts on Saturday and today (Monday) and Wednesday.

The RMT said it has secured “unconditional” talks on Network Rail and the promise of a pay offer from the train operating companies.

The union said the dispute remains “very much live” and it is continuing its re-ballot of members to secure a fresh mandate for action with the result due on November 15.

But GWR said the although it welcomed the RMT’s decision, the news had come too late to improve the reduced timetables it had put in place.

In a statement the train operator said it "is working hard to reinstate services into next week, but given the late notice, GWR’s advice to only travel if absolutely necessary on...Monday remains in place".

GWR managing director Mark Hopwood said: “It is positive that talks with the RMT trade union appear to be showing some progress and we’re hopeful that today’s news brings us a step closer to finding a resolution to this long-running dispute.

“Unfortunately, with less than 12 hours’ notice before the strike was due to start, it is too late to restore normal timetables and spare customers from disruption tomorrow and the early part of next week. Our advice remains to only travel by rail if necessary.”

It also advised that onward journeys outside the GWR network could also be affected and said industrial action from one other trade union was continuing on the planned days.