SWR restores West of England line timetable

South Western Railway has published its timetable amendments for December, reflecting peak commuter travel that is stuck at only just over half of pre-COVID demand.

SWR operates one of the most intensive London commuter networks and was previously heavily dependent on rush-hour travel to offices in the capital.

Passengers have raised concerns about changes to peak services. One daily traveller told RAIL:

“This makes commuting even less attractive. Looks like they’re scrapping both the 0648 from Winchester, which is always full, and the 0655 stopping service.”

SWR said the timetable “will provide sufficient capacity to cover current and forecast demand, while making a series of changes to improve customer journeys”.

Performance and Planning Director Steve Tyler said: “Current demand remains below the network’s available capacity. In the last six months, overall customer numbers have stabilised at around 69% of pre-pandemic levels, with peak travel at only 53%.”

Network Rail has also announced that, after two months of fewer trains, services on the west of England line will return to normal between Salisbury and Exeter St Davids on November 14.

A 40mph speed restriction was placed on SWR’s Class 159 diesels using the West of England line in August, leading to fewer services.

A clay embankment between Tisbury and Gillingham had dried out, causing the ground beneath the tracks to shrink. Network Rail said repairs would be futile until the shrinking stopped.

In late October, NR said conditions beneath the track had improved, with speed limits raised but not removed. TisburyGillingham

remains limited to 40mph, but similar restrictions between Gillingham-Templecombe and Axminster-Honiton have been raised to 60mph.

The timetable does not indicate any plans for the introduction of 90 new Class 701 trains between London Waterloo and Berkshire.

The Derby-built trains were due in service from the December 2019 timetable. They are now three years late, due principally to a succession of software faults. SWR has not accepted a single train as being fit for service.

A spokesman told RAIL: “Alstom is continually improving the performance of the fleet and we are working with all partners on an extensive programme of testing, training, safety validation and mobilisation to bring the trains into service as early as possible in 2023.”

The new timetable starts on Sunday December 11.