South Western Railway strike: Everything you need to know about Christmas walkouts

Walkouts are planned for 27 and 31 December

Rail services will be disrupted on Thursday with the first of a series of fresh strikes in the bitter dispute over the role of guards on trains (PA)

A South Western Railway (SWR) strike will affect train travel on Thursday 27 December and Monday 31 December.

A reduced service will run on most of the South Western Railway network on the strike days. Some routes will not have a train service or a replacement bus service and engineering works may also affect passenger journeys.

Action will apply across the network and impact journeys into London terminating at Waterloo and Richmond stations; the Island Line on the Isle of Wight will operate as normal.

There is also ongoing engineering work around Clapham Junction that could affect journeys.

When are the strikes taking place?

Strike action will take place between 12.01am and 11.59pm on Thursday 27 and Monday 31 December.

Which services are affected?

The following routes will be affected on 27 December. Details may change at the last minute as timetables are finalised, so check the South Western Railway website for up-to-date details of services.

A reduced service will run between Waterloo and Basingstoke, with one train per hour running in each direction. Alton to London Waterloo Trains will run between Alton and Woking only.

A reduced service will run between Brockenhurst and Lymington Pier.

A reduced service will run between Salisbury and London Waterloo. There are no trains between Salisbury and Bristol Temple Meads.

There are no trains between London Waterloo and Haslemere.

Portsmouth to Southampton Central trains will run between Southampton Central and Fareham, with one train every two hours.

There is an hourly service from Portsmouth to Basingstoke (and London Waterloo).

Trains will run every thirty minutes between London Waterloo and Epsom.

Replacement buses will be running a half-hourly service between Hampton Court and Surbiton. An hourly bus service will run between Chessington South and Waterloo.

There is no service from Shepperton to London Waterloo.

Trains will not run from Waterloo to Hounslow.

An hourly train service will run between Windsor and Eton Riverside, and will end their journey at Clapham Junction.

Two trains each hour will run between Clapham Junction and Reading.

Services from London Waterloo to Weybridge via Staines will not run. There is a replacement bus service from Virginia Water.

A reduced service will run from London Waterloo to Weymouth. Hourly fast trains will run between London Waterloo and Bournemouth.

The stopping service from London Waterloo to Poole will not run.

Trains from Salisbury to Romsey via Southampton Central will not run, and there will also be no service from Redbridge and Millbrook.

On late evening of Thursday 27 December there is planned engineering work. Routes through Basingstoke will be affected and no replacement bus services will operate.

Most other routes have a reduced SWR service and/or other train operators running services on the line. Check the South Western Railway website for full details of which trains are running.

Can I use my ticket on other train operators?

On strike days, passengers can use their ticket on the following train operators at no extra cost:

GWR

You can use your South Western Railway ticket (including Advance tickets) on the routes below:

Bristol – Salisbury, via Warminster

Salisbury – Portsmouth Harbour/Havant, via Fareham

Yeovil Pen Mill – Salisbury via Castle Cary and Warminster.

If you’re travelling from between Crewkerne and Exeter, you can use your ticket (including Advance tickets) on GWR trains between Exeter and London Paddington via Newbury.

If you hold a daily ticket between Basingstoke and London Waterloo routed “via Woking”, you can use this on GWR trains between Basingstoke and London Paddington via Reading.

CrossCountry

You can use your South Western Railway ticket (including Advance tickets) on CrossCountry train services between Bournemouth and Reading.

Transport for London

If you have a paper single, return or season ticket between rail stations on the following bus routes, you can present it to the driver of the bus for travel in either direction at no extra charge:

- Route 65: Richmond – Kew Bridge – Brentford

- Route 111: Hampton – Hampton Court – Kingston

- Route 117: Feltham – Hounslow (Town Centre) – Isleworth

- Route 190: Richmond – North Sheen – Chiswick

- Route 216: Sunbury – Hampton – Hampton Court – Kingston

- Route 235: Feltham – Islewort – Syon Lane – Brentford

- Route 237: Hounslow (Town Centre) – Isleworth – Brentford (County Court) – Kew Bridge

- Route 281: Hounslow – Twickenham – Fulwell – Teddington – Hampton Wick – Kingston – Surbiton

- Route 290: Staines – Sunbury – Fulwell – Twickenham

- Route 411: Hampton Court – Kingston

- Route E8: Hounslow – Isleworth – Brentford

- Route K2: Berrylands – Surbiton

- Route K3: Surbiton – Kingston – Norbiton

- Route K4: Surbiton – Kingston – Norbiton

If you use a Pay As You Go Oyster card you’ll need to pay the appropriate bus fare.

Transport for London, London Underground will be accepting paper Single, Return or Season tickets at no extra cost between London Paddington and London Waterloo.

Are any rail replacement bus services available?

Yes. Check the South Western Railway website for more information.

Can I get compensation for disruptions to my journey?

If you travel on a strike day and experience delays of 15 minutes or more to your journey, you are eligible to compensation. Find out more here.

If your train is cancelled or delayed and you have an off-peak, super off-peak, advance or anytime ticket and decide not to travel, SWR states that passengers will be entitled to a full refund.

Can I start my journey at a different station to that on my ticket?

If you hold a monthly or longer season ticket, SWR maintains that your ticket may be used from/to another station on the same line of route as the original ticket. This only applies to SWR services.

Why are staff striking?

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union are taking industrial action over a dispute regarding the future of guards on trains.

The RMT maintains that guards are essential in ensuring passenger safety and in case of emergencies such as derailment, evacuation, fires and driver incapacity. Guards can also offer advice and assistance to passengers and help disabled passengers to embark and disembark.

RMT general secretary, Mick Cash, said of the latest decision to strike: “South Western Railway continues to refuse to make any progress at all in resolving this dispute, which is about safety, security and access on South Western Railway. The company are hell bent on opening up a loophole that would allow them to run services driver only at their discretion.

“Recent figures have shown a shocking surge in violence on our railways across the festive season and it is frankly appalling that South Western Railway are looking for a green light to throw the guard off their trains as and when they see fit in the name of profit.

“SWR might think it’s acceptable to play fast and loose with passenger safety, security and access but RMT members, who have stood firm throughout this dispute despite appalling harassment from the company, will not accept a dilution of the safety regime on the railway.”

SWR said in a statement: “We had already offered to meet with the RMT again next week to try and resolve this dispute. By announcing further strike dates, the RMT has shown it has no intention of finding a solution and is only interested in inflicting more misery on passengers as they try to enjoy the festive season.

“This strike action is totally unnecessary. We have guaranteed to roster a guard on every train, and we need more, not fewer guards. Should this strike action go ahead, we will do everything we can to provide the best service possible for our customers.”

For more information, click here for updates on the South Western Railway website.