Great Western Railway is warning customers that industrial action by drivers’ union ASLEF on Thursday, December 7, will cause significant disruption to rail services.
The impact of the strike action has resulted in parts of the rail company’s network, including Bus Spa, being completely out of service, impacting people traveling by train to the city’s popular Christmas markets and leaving customers without alternative transport. Use of institutions is recommended.
Due to the industrial action, the train operator is advising customers to travel by Thursday 7 December or later. The Great Western Railway will be able to operate, but it will be a very limited service with fewer trains than usual and we expect it to be very busy.
![Paddington departure board // GWR](https://www.railadvent.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/traintimes-jumbotron-retina-750x225.jpg)
![Paddington departure board // GWR](https://www.railadvent.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/traintimes-jumbotron-retina-750x225.jpg)
Trains operating during strike activities may start later than usual and last train earlier than usual, so we recommend that you check the times of the last train of the day when traveling.
During industrial action on Thursday 7 December:
- There is no train replacement bus service.
- Trains to Bath Spa will not be running, so customers heading to Bath Christmas Market are advised to use alternative transport.
- Bus operator First West of England is expected to operate services in the Bath area, but is expected to experience heavy congestion, particularly on the D1, D2, D2x and 39/39x services, due to the strike. If you are coming by bus, please allow plenty of time.
Great Western Railway will allow train tickets purchased on the strike date to be used on another date as follows:
- Tickets from Saturday, December 2nd to Friday, December 8th are available the day before or until Tuesday, December 12th.
ASLEF’s strike action also affects other rail operators and therefore future travel.
![GWR Intercity Train](https://www.railadvent.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/GWR-Intercity-Train-750x422.jpg)
![GWR Intercity Train](https://www.railadvent.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/GWR-Intercity-Train-750x422.jpg)
Great Western Railway services provide very limited services on routes between:
The Night Riviera sleeper is also canceled, but this is due to planned engineering work.
If you are planning to travel on any of the above routes, we strongly recommend that you check your travel plans before traveling.
Great Western Railway and other railway operators across the country will also be affected by non-strike action, which will continue until Saturday 9 December and could lead to service changes or suspensions at short notice. be.
Customers heading to Bath for the Christmas Markets or the Premiership Rugby match between Bath and Ulster on Saturday December 9th have been warned that trains will be very busy and they can expect long queues to board the trains. has been done. We recommend that you use alternative transport to attend either event or attend Bath on another day if possible.
![](https://www.railadvent.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Mugs.jpg)
![](https://www.railadvent.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Mugs.jpg)