Highbhridge train station was deserted on Tuesday (June 21st) for much of the day as rail workers across the UK walked out on strike amid an ongoing pay dispute.
The strike, the biggest industrial action in the sector for 30 years, began on Tuesday and will continue on Thursday and Saturday but its disruption is so severe that services are not expected to run properly all week.
Members of the Rail, Maritime, and Transport (RMT) union at Network Rail and 13 other train operators are taking strike action after a row over pay, conditions, and job security, with more than 40,000 staff expected to take part throughout the week.
A small number of services are still running this week through Highbridge and Burnham Rail Station and you can see services that are still expected to go ahead here.
Signs – including the one above – are in place to warn travellers of the disription. These were the scenes at Highbridge train station during the first day of strike action with many of the country’s busiest stations looking uncharacteristically quiet and empty.
On June 23rd and 25th, GWR says “very limited services are expected to run between 7.30am and 6.30pm only” through Highbridge & Burnham Railway Station.
A GWR spokesperson says: “Only travel by rail if necessary. If you do travel, expect severe disruption and plan ahead. Services will start later and finish earlier throughout the strike period.”
Customers who have already purchased tickets can claim a full refund or can amend their ticket; those who travel and are delayed may be entitled to delay repay compensation if they are delayed by 15 mins or more.
Season ticket holders can apply for compensation through the GWR Delay Repay scheme.
To help customers, GWR is allowing people with tickets for travel on strike days to be able to travel on the day before and up to two days after.
