GWR and Network Rail are working together to ensure the vast majority of services operate this weekend, with temperatures anticipated to be lower than during June’s heatwave. Customers can and should still travel as normal although they are advised to carry water and check their specific journey before travel – especially those attending sporting or special events.
Those travelling in the Thames Valley should however plan for some minor changes during the hottest parts of the day. Calling patterns of some local stopping services between London and Reading will be changed to minimise the use of points, which move trains between tracks, to reduce the risk of points failure. This mainly affects all-stations services that normally use the slower relief lines, with changes to trains serving Slough, Maidenhead and Twyford.
London Paddington to Didcot and Newbury services will also terminate at Reading where customers can change for connecting trains; and direct trains to Oxford will be reduced.
Due to the short notice changes, industry information systems will not show the correct train timetable until the day of travel.
What customers should do:
- Check before you travel: Where possible, plan ahead and check journey times closer to the time of travel, particularly for the hottest part of the day.
- Allow extra time: Some affected journeys in London and the Thames Valley may take longer than usual, so build this into your plans, especially if you have a connection to make or need to be somewhere by a specific time.
- Bring water: Carry water with you, particularly if you expect to be travelling during the hottest periods or waiting on platforms.
- If you feel unwell, don’t board: If you are waiting for a train and feel unwell due to the heat, please speak to a member of staff, who will be able to help.
GWR and Network Rail Western Performance Director, Daryn McCombe, said:
“We want to keep our customers safe during the weekend, which is why we are taking the precautionary step of amending a small number of services at the hottest times of day. We know this could be disruptive to a few people and we’re sorry for the inconvenience it will cause, but customer safety must come first.
“We’d encourage everyone planning to travel this week to check their journey beforehand.”
For the latest service information, customers should check GWR.com before travelling.
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