STRIKE action is set to continue, and Salisbury commuters are being advised to travel by train only if necessary. 

The first day the trains will be affected is on Wednesday, July 27 with more than 2,100 South Western Railway (SWR) RMT members due to go on strike. 

There will be a severely reduced timetable running between 7.15 am and 6.30pm.

As significant parts of the network will be closed, disruption is likely.

South Western Railway’s managing director, Claire Mann said: “The scale of the planned industrial action limits the number of trains we can run and routes we can serve, resulting in the severely reduced service we are able to operate on the strike day. 

“We urge customers to only travel by rail if absolutely necessary on Wednesday 27 July, and to check before you travel on Thursday 28 July, as we will be running a late-starting service due to the disruption of the strike the previous day.”

Passengers must also be aware that on July 28, train services will begin later, so it is advisable to avoid travelling on the first trains if possible as they are likely to be extremely busy.

Network Rail will be providing contingency cover for critical roles including signallers, maintenance, response teams and electrical control room operators.

Claire Mann added: “We are sorry that strikes will again cause such disruption, and we are grateful to our customers for their continued cooperation, patience, and understanding as the rail industry works to end this damaging nationwide strike action.”  

Great Western Railway (GWR) announced that no rail services will operate on the following routes on July 27 including:

All lines in Cornwall, all branch lines in Devon, South Wales main line, Berks & Hants line, Wessex main line, Heart of Wessex line, TransWilts line, Severn Beach line, South Cotswolds line, Worcester-Gloucester-Bristol, Greenford branch line, North Downs line and the South Coast which includes Westbury-Southampton/Portsmouth Harbour.

GWR is allowing passengers with tickets for travel on strike days to travel the day before and up to and including Tuesday August 2. Full refunds or amendment to tickets are available and season ticket holders can apply for compensation. This is through the delay repay scheme.

ASLEF - Britain’s trade union for train drivers have voted to strike on Saturday July 30 so more disruption is likely. The companies affected include Arriva Rail London, Chiltern Railways, Greater Anglia, Great Western, Hull Trains, LNER, Southeastern, and West Midlands Trains.

Passengers are advised to double-check train times if having to travel.

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