Factors Contributing to GWR Weekend Train Disruptions

Great Western Railway (GWR) services have experienced frequent cancellations and delays throughout the winter season. This rail operator manages routes connecting London with the south-west of England and Wales. GWR has repeatedly advised passengers against travel, issuing “don’t travel” warnings and suggesting alternative travel days. The reasons for these persistent issues are being examined. Certain train operators, GWR among them, depend on train crews voluntarily working overtime, as Sunday is not considered part of their standard working week according to their employment terms. Consequently, numerous train services have been canceled at short notice because of staff shortages. GWR has also cautioned that trains are expected to be extremely crowded during the festive season. The company specifically advised against train travel to Bath on the penultimate Sunday prior to Christmas. Multiple drivers informed the BBC that a recent pay agreement has reduced their need for additional income from working on their rest days. This agreement incorporated backdated pay for the preceding two years, resulting in drivers receiving a lump sum in their autumn payslips. Furthermore, it has historically been more challenging to encourage drivers to undertake voluntary overtime in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Aslef, the drivers’ union, stated its consistent argument over 20 years that Sunday should be incorporated into the standard working week. However, the union noted that this change would necessitate the employment of a greater number of drivers. Historically, train companies have preferred to pay overtime, finding it to be a more economical option for employers while also offering staff the chance to increase their earnings. GWR spokesman Dan Panes commented: “60 per cent of our staff are not contracted to work on a Sunday. They can choose to work or not.” He further stated: “We would like to bring Sundays into the working week, and we are talking to government and our industry partners.” Panes concluded: “It will take quite some time to fix.” Since 2018, new Great Western driver recruits have been employed under contracts that include a seven-day working week. A portion of drivers operating suburban services in the Thames Valley also adhere to a seven-day agreement. Nevertheless, older long-distance drivers do not have such contracts. Passenger Val expressed on X: “All Sunday travel with GWR is an utter car crash. I do believe all the drivers who comment there simply aren’t enough of them. Are either the train operators or the government pushing for change?” Bristol passenger Matt Dinio remarked on X: “This makes no sense for an essential service that the country relies on.” Passenger Paul Owen stated: “It’s a joke and clearly the service is not fit for purpose.” Mr. Owen further wrote on the BBC Bristol Facebook page: “Used the train four times and three times I’ve been left either stranded or had the journey significantly disrupted.” Andrew Musty also commented: “It’s disgraceful that GWR is advising passengers not to travel to Bath by train on one of the busiest Sundays before Christmas.” Bruce Williamson of the campaign group RailFuture, observed: “It’s not a satisfactory situation where the train operators are saying ‘don’t use the trains’.” He added: “Clearly, something is very wrong there.” Referring to the popular Bath Christmas market, Williamson noted: “People rely on the trains as a better alternative, and if that alternative is not available, that’s very, very frustrating and and bad for business in Bath as well.” Rail fares are set to increase again above inflation in the spring, a situation that is reportedly pushing individuals away from railways and onto roads, thereby contributing to increased pollution and congestion. Passengers whose journeys are delayed by 15 minutes or longer are eligible to claim compensation via the GWR Delay Repay scheme. The amount of compensation received is contingent on the ticket type and the extent of the delay in reaching the destination. Great Western is not the sole train operator experiencing these issues. Passengers on Northern and ScotRail services also faced numerous cancellations last Sunday. Other companies, such as South Western Railway, schedule drivers for a seven-day working week. The national framework for train crew terms and conditions lacks uniformity. An additional challenge is an impending “retirement bulge” among drivers: the average age of drivers has been consistently increasing, and the National Skills Academy for Rail (NSAR) projects that one-third of drivers nationwide will retire within the next decade. Extensive engineering work during the festive period will further complicate train travel for passengers. Specifically, no trains will operate to or from London Paddington between 27 and 30 December, due to construction of a new HS2 station at Old Oak Common in West London. This necessitates that most GWR services will either commence or conclude at Reading, or be rerouted to Euston. Travelers from Reading can transfer to Elizabeth Line services bound for Ealing, followed by an Underground connection. A limited number of long-distance trains will be diverted to London Euston; these services will bypass Reading and will require reservations. Great Western Railway has cautioned that trains are expected to be exceptionally busy. The construction activities at Old Oak Common are anticipated to cause intermittent disruptions for Great Western passengers for a minimum of the next four years. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external sites. Information regarding their approach to external linking is available.