A TRAIN operator has announced that it will introduce month-long timetable changes to address "performance and reliability issues" due to on-the-day cancellations.
CrossCountry, a major railway operator with journeys going to and from Wales, is set to introduce reductions to its timetable from Saturday, August 10, to Saturday, November 9, to tackle performance and reliability issues as a result of on-the-day cancellations and looming strikes.
A spokesperson for CrossCountry trains said it would be reducing services on some routes over 13 weeks, while increasing the number of carriages on some services, to keep the maximum passenger capacity.
They added that ongoing railway strikes have led to a backlog of training days necessary for train drivers, which were built-up in the COVID-19 pandemic when social distancing restricted this level of training.
Bethan Jelfs, CrossCountry’s regional director for west and Wales, said: “Removing services from our timetable is always a last resort.
"I’m sorry for the inconvenience this will cause for our customers and I want to thank them for their patience while these changes are in place.
“This is a difficult decision, but by taking proactive action now we are investing in building a more resilient and dependable service for CrossCountry customers for the future.”
The temporary timetable will reduce numbers of on-the-day cancellations, which cause the most inconvenience to passengers. A similar approach was trialled over Easter which led to a 94% decrease in on-the-day cancellations.
By the end of the temporary timetable, CrossCountry will have more fully-trained drivers able to work across the network and will have reduced its training backlog – providing a more reliable service for customers, with fewer cancellations.
Trains largely unaffected
There will be minimal changes to services between Manchester Piccadilly and Bristol Temple Meads in the temporary timetable.
All services operating to and from Penzance will be kept the same.
Trains affected
There will be fewer direct services from Reading to the North East, with customers able to change trains at Birmingham New Street to continue their journey.
The route between Cardiff and Nottingham will run around two-thirds as many services as it does currently, and some services will begin or end at different stations.
A trial which saw some station calls removed at Winchester and Basingstoke will end as planned in September.
Customers who have tickets for travel on impacted services can travel on an alternative service or request a full refund.
Passengers are asked to check their journey before travelling, using the CrossCountry website or app or with National Rail Enquiries.
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