Rail passengers in the Warwick district urged to check their journeys ahead of planned industrial action

Rail passengers in the Warwick district are being urged to check their journeys in advance ahead of planned industrial action later this month.

Services will be heavily impacted on Saturday August 13, Thursday August 18 and Saturday August 20 due to separate action by members of the ASLEF and RMT unions.

The area is served by both West Midlands Railway (WMR) and Chiltern Railways who have both warned passengers that disruptions are inevitable.

West Midlands Railway

On Saturday August 13 there will no service on any WMR route due to action by members of driver union ASLEF. Passengers will not be able to travel with WMR or sister company London Northwestern Railway as a result. Some early morning services on Sunday 14 August may be disrupted due to trains being in the incorrect place overnight.

Jonny Wiseman, customer experience director at WMR, said: “On Saturday August 13 we will not be able to run any services at all and we are advising passengers not to travel. Passengers holding tickets purchased in advance can travel on an alternative date or receive a full refund.”

On Thursday August 18 and Saturday August 20 a limited service will be in operation between 7.30am and 6.30pm only due to industrial action by members of the RMT union.

An amended timetable will also be in operation on Friday August 19 and early morning services on Sunday August 21 may be disrupted due to the displacement of trains overnight.

Routes with a limited service on Thursday August 18 and Saturday August 20 from 7.30am to 6.30pm are:

Cross-City Line (Lichfield Trent Valley – Redditch/Bromsgrove via Birmingham New Street) – two trains per hour

Wolverhampton – Birmingham – one train per hour

Birmingham New Street – Birmingham International – one train per hour

No trains will run on any other WMR route, including all routes via Birmingham Snow Hill, Birmingham-Shrewsbury, Birmingham-Worcester-Hereford and Nuneaton-Leamington.

For further information visit www.wmr.uk/industrialaction

Chiltern Railways News

Train operator Chiltern Railways said services will be extremely busy on Saturday August 13.

Queuing systems may be in place, and it may take longer to board services.

A spokesperson said: "Due to the extensive nature of the strike action at other operators, it is expected that significant pressure will be placed upon the Chiltern Railways network.

"Customers are advised to prepare for busier journeys, and check their entire journey before they travel at http://www.chilternrailways.co.uk or the Chiltern Railways app.

"Customers can check the latest travel advice for scheduled strike days at http://www.chilternrailways.co.uk/strike. Further travel guidance on strike action on August 18 and 20 will be released in due course. Chiltern Railways is an affected operator on these dates and will be running a heavily reduced timetable."