GTR passengers urged to check their journeys ahead of national strike action by ASLEF

• Tuesday 30 January: no trains will run across the vast majority of GTR network except for very limited shuttle services to support essential travel to airports.
• Amended timetable in place from 29 January until 6 February due to nationwide overtime ban.

Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), which operates Southern, Gatwick Express, Thameslink and Great Northern, is warning customers that regrettably, there will be no trains on the vast majority of its network on Tuesday 30 January. This is due to national industrial action by the ASLEF union.

There will be limited shuttle services on Tuesday 30 January on the following routes:

• A limited, non-stop, shuttle service between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport.
• A limited shuttle service calling at Luton, Luton Airport Parkway and St Pancras.
• A limited, non-stop, shuttle service between London King’s Cross and Cambridge.
• These trains will not stop at any other stations.

The shuttle services have been put in place to support customers who are travelling to airports and have no alternative option than to get the train. Passengers should leave plenty of time for their journey if using a train is essential as the limited services are expected to be busy.

In addition to strike action on 30 January, a nationwide overtime ban by ASLEF will be in place from Monday 29 January until Tuesday 6 February inclusive, which means there will be an amended timetable in place with fewer services overall. These timetables have been designed to help passengers plan for their day, providing greater certainty of train times with fewer short-notice alterations.

Jenny Saunders, GTR’s Customer Services Director, said: “We’re very sorry about the impact this industrial action will have on our customers. With no trains on the majority of our network on Tuesday 30 January, we’re asking people to plan ahead and use alternative travel options.

“Whilst there will be trains running on either side of the strike day, the nationwide overtime ban means we are only able to run an amended timetable with fewer trains. With other train operators affected on different days, we’re asking customers to check their entire journey each day from Monday 29 January until Tuesday 6 February.”

Services, including the Gatwick Express, will be running on Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 February, but planned engineering works will affect certain routes.

Customers should check their travel plans for the entire period of industrial action.

Ends

Notes to editors

• Gatwick Express services will not run on weekdays during the overtime ban, but customers can travel to Gatwick Airport using Southern and Thameslink.
• Industrial action is being taken at other train operators on different days. If a train journey involves using another train company, passengers must check with them for any changes to their services and ensure their onward connections are available on the day they are travelling.
• Sporting and leisure events will also be impacted during this period of industrial action. Customers should check online journey planners and football fans may need to find other ways to reach the games.
• Passengers should plan all their journeys carefully using www.nationalrail.co.uk