The Island Line will be suspended from 19:00 on Saturday 20th August until 07:00 on Sunday 21st August due to the knock-on effect of mainland RMT strikes.
The nationwide strike on Saturday is set to include Network Rail’s Electrical Control Room Operators (ECROs) working at Eastleigh Electrical Control Room, which provides power to the outer part of the South Western Railway (SWR) network, including the Island Line.
Unable to provide sufficient power
As a result, Network Rail will be unable to provide sufficient power to the Island Line during this period.
SWR is in the process of arranging rail replacement services for Saturday night.
Staff at Network Rail and more than 2,100 SWR members are set to take strike action on Thursday 18 and Saturday 20 August, causing severe disruption.
This is the first time that the Island Line has been impacted by the strikes, with the service running as normal during the periods of industrial action earlier this year.
Dunn: We will be doing everything we can to keep our customers moving
Commenting, Island Line General Manager, Mark Dunn, said,
“We are very sorry that the knock-on impact of mainland rail strikes will inconvenience our customers on Saturday night and Sunday morning.
“We will be doing everything we can to keep our customers moving, and we’re in the process of arranging rail replacement services for Saturday night.”
Halsall: We only have 29 back up staff
Network Rail Southern region managing director John Halsall said,
“I’m so sorry that again we’re having to ask people to change their travel plans because of industrial action. We need 200 highly-trained people to run the railway on our Wessex route, but during the industrial action we only have 29 back up staff.
“That means we have to make difficult decisions about which lines to keep open and we prioritise routes where we can move the maximum number of passengers with the limited resources we have available, considering things like the impact on the economy, whether those lines serve major hospitals, or if they’re used to keep major freight, such as food, fuel and medicine moving.”
News shared by Toby on behalf of South Western Railway. Ed
