The RMT union has announced that strike action will take place on Wednesday 27th July 2022. Strikes will also be taking place on most other Train Operating Companies and at Network Rail on this date. Commuters have been asked by all rail operators to check the timetables before travel. South Western Railway (SWR) has published all information on its website, and provided the following statement.
SWR announces 27 July strike service levels
- Due to the planned national strike, SWR customers are urged only to travel by rail if absolutely necessary on Wednesday 27 July
- SWR will run a severely reduced timetable on 27 July, with significant parts of the network closed
- A severely reduced service will run between 07:15 and 18:30 on a limited number of routes for those who have no choice but to travel
- Services will start much later than usual on Thursday 28 July with first trains set to be very busy
South Western Railway (SWR) is urging customers only to travel by rail if absolutely necessary for the planned RMT strike day on Wednesday 27 July.
Customers should expect severe disruption and, if they have to travel, should seek to do so by other means.
SWR has published their strike day service levels, which will provide a very limited service on the routes Network Rail have made available.
The reduced service levels will see significant parts of the network closed entirely and those trains that are running will be far less frequent compared to normal.
Network Rail and more than 2,100 SWR RMT members are set to take strike action on Wednesday 27 July, causing severe disruption.
Network Rail will provide contingency cover for critical roles including electrical control room operators, signallers, maintenance and response teams, but will not be able to cover the whole day.
SWR’s reduced timetable will run from 07:15 to 18:30 on strike day, and will consist of:
- Four trains per hour in each direction between Waterloo and Windsor via Hounslow
- Two semi-fast trains per hour in each direction between Waterloo and Basingstoke
- Four trains per hour in each direction between Waterloo and Woking
- Two fast trains per hour in each direction between Waterloo and Southampton
Trains will not stop at all stations on these routes. There will be no SWR services across the rest of the network.
Significant disruption is also expected on Thursday 28 July, when there will be a late-starting service, with first trains operating much later than usual. Customers should check before they travel.
The RMT has announced further strikes will be taking place on Thursday 18 and Saturday 20 August. SWR will be publishing service level information for this period in due course.
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. “
“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.”
“Customers are urged to check the SWR website for latest information at: www.southwesternrailway.com/strike”
Summary of strike day services:
| Waterloo to Southampton | Waterloo to Woking | Waterloo to Basingstoke | Waterloo to Windsor |
| 2 fast trains per hour each way | 4 trains per hour each way | 2 trains per hour each way | 4 trains per hour each way |
| First train from Waterloo: 0730 | First train from Waterloo: 0720 | First train from Waterloo: 0715 | First train from Waterloo: 0715 |
| Last train from Waterloo: 1700 | Last train from Waterloo: 1705 | Last train from Waterloo: 1745 | Last train from Waterloo: 1722 |
| First train from Southampton: 0730 | First train from Woking: 0718 | First train from Basingstoke: 0724 | First train from Windsor: 0730 |
| Last train from Southampton: 1659 | Last train from Woking: 1748 | Last train from Basingstoke: 1654 | Last train from Windsor: 1730 |
| Services will call at: London Waterloo Clapham Junction Woking Basingstoke Winchester Eastleigh Southampton Airport Parkway Southampton Central |
Services will call at: London Waterloo Clapham Junction Wimbledon Surbiton Esher Hersham Walton-on-Thames Weybridge Byfleet & New Haw West Byfleet Woking |
Services will call at: London Waterloo Clapham Junction Surbiton Woking Brookwood Farnborough Fleet Winchfield Hook Basingstoke |
Services will call at: London Waterloo Vauxhall Clapham Junction Wandsworth Town Putney Barnes Barnes Bridge Chiswick Kew Bridge Brentford Syon Lane Isleworth Hounslow Feltham Ashford Staines Wraysbury Sunnymeads Datchet Windsor & Eton Riverside |