Transport for Wales facing new strike disruption in October

The majority of Transport for Wales (TfW) services across the Wales and Borders network will be suspended on two days in October due to on-going industrial action.

The National Union of Rail, Maritime, and Transport Workers (RMT) has announced strike action will take place on Saturday 1 and Saturday 8 October, across Network Rail and 15 train operators.

ASLEF has also announced strike action on Saturday 1 and Wednesday 5 October across 12 train operators, while TSSA have announced strike action on 1 October at Network Rail and 11 train operators.

TfW is not involved in this industrial action, but because of the dispute between unions and Network Rail it will be unable to operate a number of rail services on Network Rail infrastructure on 1 and 8 October, while some services will be much busier than usual on 5 October.

The operator is warning passengers wishing to travel on Saturday 1 and Saturday 8 October that it will be running a very limited rail service and not to travel by train

The only services operating will be on the Core Valley Lines in South Wales and a Cardiff to Newport shuttle, with one train operating hourly in each direction, between 07:30 and 18:30.

No other TfW services across Wales and the Borders network will be able to operate.

Train services will operate between Cardiff Central and Rhymney, Treherbert, Aberdare and Merthyr Tydfil in an hourly service in each direction between 07:30 and 18:30.

Customers are reminded there will be very limited road transport capacity between Radyr and Cardiff before 07:30 and after 18:30, when TfW is unable to operate trains via Llandaf and Cathays.

Amended timetables for Saturday 1 October will be in online journey planners from Tuesday 27 September.

Busier than usual

There is also expected to be disruption to services on the days prior to the industrial action, and services will be much busier than usual.

Customers are advised to only travel if necessary, on Friday 30 September and 7 October, and to check online journey planners for any short-notice late night service alterations as a result of the following day’s strike action.

Passengers are also warned that services are likely to be extremely busy as a result of the severely reduced timetable put in place by other operators on 5 October with trains between Carmarthen and Newport, Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton, Cardiff and Cheltenham, Chester and Holyhead and Chester and Manchester Airport likely to be put under considerable pressure

Due to the closure of Birmingham New Street station, services between North Wales and Birmingham International will terminate at Wolverhampton.

More information about the industrial action can be found on the TfW website here.