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National Rail strike: Only travel if your journey is essential on Great Northern, Southern and Thameslink on 27 July and morning after

Press release -

National Rail strike: Only travel if your journey is essential on Great Northern, Southern and Thameslink on 27 July and morning after

  • RMT members at Network Rail and UK train operators striking on Wednesday 27 July
  • Very few trains – crowding and delays expected
  • No service at all on many lines south of London, with a late start-up (7.30am or later) and early finish (from as early as 4.30pm up to 6.30pm) across the network
  • Anyone trying to travel should check first and last trains for their specific station 
  • Late start-up from around 7.15am the day after (28 July) and an amended service

Passengers should travel only if absolutely necessary on Southern, Great Northern and Thameslink on Wednesday 27 July and the morning after due to next week’s strike by RMT members at Network Rail and UK train operators.

Operator Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) will be running the same service plan as for the last strikes in June and warns there will be very few trains, with crowding expected, particularly on last trains, and possible delays. Gatwick Express will not operate although the airport will have a limited Southern and Thameslink service.

There will be no service at all on many lines south of London or on the route between Cambridge and King’s Lynn (see map). Trains will start running at around 7.30am and finish between 4.30pm and 6.30pm.

The next morning, on Thursday 28 July, services will start at around 7.15am or later, and there will be an amended service on that day. Morning trains are likely to be very busy. Customers are recommended to travel later, plan their journeys and check again before travelling.

Online journey planners such as nationalrail.co.uk will be updated at the weekend.

GTR has once again been in touch with local stakeholders, including hospitals, to notify them of the impact of the RMT strike action.

Strike action by the drivers’ union ASLEF at neighbouring train operators is also likely to affect GTR services on Saturday 30 July. More information will follow.

See notes to editors for more details.

Angie Doll, Chief Operating Officer, Govia Thameslink Railway, said: 

“Regrettably, we have to ask people once again to travel only if absolutely necessary on Wednesday 27 July, because of strike action by RMT members. There will be very few train services and some routes will be closed altogether.

“Services will start much later than normal and finish as early as 4.30pm. All this may lead to very busy trains and possible delays. Passengers should plan ahead and think about travelling at another time.

“We are extremely disappointed that passengers across the country now face the anxiety of further rail disruption. Our focus remains on encouraging the RMT to work with the industry to seek a swift resolution.”

Striking signallers at Network Rail will have the greatest impact on the service, leading GTR to focus on providing a service on its busiest mainline routes only.

Andrew Haines, Network Rail chief executive, said:

“I can only apologise for the impact this pointless strike will have on passengers, especially those travelling for holidays or attending events such as the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 semi-final (Wednesday 27th) and the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games (Thursday 28th). It is frustrating to yet again ask our passengers to change their plans and only make essential journeys.”

ends

Notes to editors

Information about the service will be available online by the end of the day at www.gatwickexpress.com, www.greatnorthernrail.com, www.southernrailway.com and www.thameslinkrailway.com.

There will be a skeleton service (see below) of around 25% of normal on 27 July with many lines closed altogether (see map). There will also be a reduced service based on an amended Sunday timetable (about 60% of weekdays) on the day following the strike – 28 July – due to the late start-up and impact of the previous day. Crowding and delays are expected throughout.

Trains will start later and finish earlier. First and last train times at specific stations will vary considerably along each route with the last trains of the day as early as 4.30pm in places. If attempting to travel, then check timetables from Saturday for Wednesday 27 July and Sunday for Thursday 28 July.

Alternative travel
As this industrial action is affecting the whole country, GTR will be unable to provide alternatives such as replacement buses and ticket acceptance with other local rail and bus operators.

Tickets, refunds and compensation
Passengers with an advance, off peak or anytime ticket who have bought a ticket for 27 July can use it for travel the day before, or up to and including Tuesday 2 August. Passengers can also change their tickets to travel on an alternative date using the Book With Confidence Policy, or get a refund if their train is cancelled or rescheduled.

Passengers with a season ticket that is monthly or longer, or who activate a day’s worth of travel for 27 July on a flexi season ticket and then choose not to travel on 27 July can claim compensation for this day through the Delay Repay scheme. Further information is on the National Rail website.

27 July: Services between London Bridge / London Victoria and the south coast

London Victoria and Brighton

Two trains per hour will run between London Victoria and Brighton, calling at London Victoria, Clapham Junction, East Croydon, Gatwick Airport and Brighton only.

London Bridge and Brighton

Two trains per hour will run between London Bridge and Brighton, calling at London Bridge, East Croydon, Gatwick Airport, Three Bridges, Balcombe, Hayward’s Heath, Wivelsfield, Burgess Hill, Hassocks, Preston Park and Brighton only.

London Bridge and Gatwick Airport

Two trains per hour will run between London Bridge and Gatwick Airport, calling at London Bridge, Norwood Junction, East Croydon, Redhill, Earlswood, Salfords, Horley and Gatwick Airport only.

London Bridge and Three Bridges

Two trains per hour will run between London Bridge and Three Bridges, calling at London Bridge, Norwood Junction, East Croydon, Coulsdon South, Merstham, Redhill, Horley, Gatwick Airport and Three Bridges only.

Brighton and Hove

Two trains per hour will run between Brighton and Hove only.

27 July: Services between London Bridge / London Victoria and South London

London Victoria and Sutton

Two trains per hour will run between London Victoria and Sutton, calling at London Victoria, Clapham Junction, Balham, Mitcham Eastfields, Mitcham Junction, Hackbridge, Carshalton, and Sutton only.

London Victoria and Epsom Downs via Selhurst

Two trains per hour will run between London Victoria and Epsom Downs, calling at London Victoria, Battersea Park, Clapham Junction, Wandsworth Common, Balham, Streatham Common, Norbury, Thornton Heath, Selhurst, West Croydon, Waddon, Wallington, Carshalton Beeches, Sutton, Belmont, Banstead and Epsom Downs only.

London Victoria and West Croydon via Crystal Palace

Two trains per hour will run between London Victoria and West Croydon, calling at London Victoria, Battersea Park, Clapham Junction, Balham, Streatham Hill, West Norwood, Gipsy Hill, Crystal Palace, Norwood Junction and West Croydon only.

London Bridge and Tattenham Corner

Two trains per hour will run between London Bridge and Tattenham Corner, calling at London Bridge, East Croydon, South Croydon, Purley Oaks, Reedham, Coulsdon Town, Woodmansterne, Chipstead, Kingswood, Tadworth and Tattenham Corner only.

27 July: Services between St Pancras International and Bedford

St Pancras International and Bedford

Two trains per hour will run between St Pancras International and Bedford, calling at St Pancras International, West Hampstead Thameslink, St Albans City, Harpenden, Luton Airport Parkway, Luton, Leagrave, Harlington, Flitwick and Bedford only.

St Pancras International and Luton

Two trains per hour will run between St Pancras International and Luton, calling at St Pancras International, Kentish Town, West Hampstead Thameslink, Cricklewood, Hendon, Mill Hill Broadway, Elstree & Borehamwood, Radlett, St Albans City, Harpenden, Luton Airport Parkway, Luton.

27 July: Services between King’s Cross and Peterborough / Cambridge / Ely

King’s Cross and Ely

One train per hour will run between King’s Cross and Ely, calling at King’s Cross, Finsbury Park, Potters Bar, Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City, Welwyn North, Knebworth, Stevenage, Hitchin, Letchworth Garden City, Baldock, Ashwell & Morden, Royston, Meldreth, Shepreth, Foxton, Cambridge, Cambridge North, Waterbeach, Ely only.

Cambridge and Ely

In addition to the above, one train per hour will run between Cambridge and Ely, calling at Cambridge, Cambridge North, Waterbeach and Ely only.

King’s Cross and Cambridge

One train per hour will run between King’s Cross and Cambridge, calling at King’s Cross, Finsbury Park, Stevenage, Hitchin, Letchworth Garden City, Baldock, Ashwell & Morden, Royston and Cambridge only.

King’s Cross and Peterborough

Two trains per hour will run between King’s Cross and Peterborough, calling at King’s Cross, Finsbury Park, Stevenage, Hitchin, Arlesey, Biggleswade, Sandy, St Neots, Huntingdon and Peterborough only.

King’s Cross and Welwyn Garden City

Two trains per hour will run between King’s Cross and Welwyn Garden City, calling at King’s Cross, Finsbury Park, Harringay, Hornsey, Alexandra Palace, New Southgate, Oakleigh Park, New Barnet, Hadley Wood, Potters Bar, Brookmans Park, Welham Green, Hatfield and Welwyn Garden City only.

King’s Cross and Stevenage via Hertford North

Two trains per hour will run between King’s Cross and Stevenage, calling at King’s Cross, Finsbury Park, Harringay, Hornsey, Alexandra Palace, Bowes Park, Palmers Green, Winchmore Hill, Grange Park, Enfield Chase, Gordon Hill, Crews Hill, Cuffley, Bayford, Hertford North, Watton-at-Stone and Stevenage only.

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For more information, contact the press office on 0203 750 2031.

Govia Thameslink Railway

Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) operates Thameslink, Great Northern, Southern and Gatwick Express services as follows:

  • Thameslink – cross-London services between Bedford/Peterborough/Cambridge and Brighton/Horsham/Littlehampton/East Grinstead, and between Luton/St Albans and Sutton/Wimbledon/Rainham; plus services between London and Sevenoaks
  • Great Northern – services between London and Welwyn, Hertford, Peterborough, Cambridge and King’s Lynn
  • Southern – services between London and the Sussex coast (Brighton, Worthing, Eastbourne, Bognor Regis, Hastings) and parts of Surrey, Kent and Hampshire (Ashford International, Southampton, Portsmouth)
  • Gatwick Express – fast, non-stop direct services between Gatwick Airport and London Victoria

www.southernrailway.comwww.thameslinkrailway.comwww.gatwickexpress.comwww.greatnorthernrail.com

Govia Thameslink Railway
United Kingdom