Further strikes set to ‘severely affect’ trains through West Berkshire this week
Rail passengers will again face major disruption due to strikes this week, with no trains running through West Berkshire and on a number of other Great Western Railway routes, writes Anna Couzens.
The action is planned for tomorrow (Thursday) and Saturday (August 20), with days immediately after the strike days also affected.
A significantly reduced timetable has been put in place.
The rail company is urging passengers to find alternative ways to travel and only use the train service if absolutely necessary.
It said less than 30 per cent of trains will be running and there will be no services on many routes. It is not able to provide bus replacement services.
Trains will run as usual until today (Wednesday), when some minor changes are planned to late night services.
An “extremely limited service” will operate on some lines tomorrow (Thursday) and Saturday (August 20), between 7 am and 6.30 pm.
There will be no trains at all running on the Berks & Hants line, which runs from Reading to Taunton through Theale, Aldermaston, Midgham, Woolhampton, Thatcham, Newbury, Kintbury, Hungerford and Great Bedwyn, or the North Downs line which connects Reading to Gatwick Airport, along with other routes across the country.
The disruption will continue on Friday (August 19), with a reduced service and trains starting later
than usual.
Trains will also start later than normal on Sunday (August 21), but a usual level of service is expected.
Where trains are able to travel between Thursday and Sunday, they are expected to be extremely busy.
More information is available at gwr.com
Customers with tickets for the strike days can travel on the days up to and including August 23 (Tuesday).
Customers who have already bought advance tickets can claim a full refund or amend their ticket;
those who travel and are delayed may be entitled to Delay Repay compensation if they are delayed
by 15 minutes or more.
Season ticket holders can apply for compensation through the Delay Repay scheme. If you hold a
return ticket, you can claim a refund for the full fare even if only one leg of the journey is affected.