SOUTH Western Railway (SWR) has confirmed its services during industrial action by the ASLEF union and strike action by the RMT union in July.

Between Monday 17 and Wednesday 19 July, a nationwide ban on overtime by members of the ASLEF union will mean a reduced service across the SWR network.

Services will usually be reduced to hourly in off-peak periods, with a small number of cancellations during the evening peaks. Some first and last trains may also be cancelled. Customers are advised to check before travelling.

On Thursday 20 July, nationwide strike action by members of the RMT union will mean a significantly reduced service will operate on a limited number of lines. Trains will only operate between the hours of 0700 and 1900, with last trains departing at around 1700. Customers are advised to only travel if absolutely necessary.

Following the strike action on Thursday 20, train services will start later than usual, at around 0730, on Friday 21 July. A reduced timetable will again operate due to the continuing overtime ban by members of the ASLEF union. Customers should check before travelling.

On Saturday 22 July, nationwide strike action by members of the RMT union will again mean a significantly reduced service on a limited number of lines. Trains will only operate between the hours of 0700 and 1900, with last trains departing at around 1700. Customers are advised to only travel if absolutely necessary.

A normal Sunday timetable will operate on Sunday 23 July however a small number of services will be cancelled due to RMT strike action on the previous day. Customers should check before travelling as engineering work will also take place.

Services on Saturday 29 July will be announced in due course, however, SWR can confirm a significantly reduced service will operate and is likely to be similar to the service on Saturday 22. Trains will only operate between the hours of 0700 and 1900, with last trains departing at around 1700. Customers will be advised to only travel if absolutely necessary.

On the Island Line, an hourly service will operate between Monday 17 and Saturday 22 July. On Saturday 22, an hourly service will operate, ending at around 2100.

Stuart Meek, Chief Operating Officer at South Western Railway, said:

'We’re sorry that customers will again face disruption due to industrial action by the ASLEF union and strike action by the RMT union.

“Anybody planning to travel on days affected by the ASLEF union’s industrial action should check their whole journey before they set off and be aware that services are likely to be busier than usual.  

'As with the last ASLEF overtime ban, instead of making numerous short-notice amendments and cancellations to our standard timetable, we will operate an amended timetable that we have a high degree of confidence we can reliably and safely deliver. We hope this will give our customers greater certainty when planning their journeys.

'On days of strike action by the RMT union we are sorry to ask that customers should only travel if absolutely necessary. We have worked hard to improve our service offering during RMT strike action and are pleased to confirm that we will operate services to and from Ascot on Thursday 20.'