Fewer trains running again as Transport for Wales updates emergency timetable

More train services are being cancelled by Transport for Wales as it battles staff shortages because of rising Covid cases.

Passengers are being asked to check before they travel when the latest emergency timetable is introduced from Monday, January 3.

TfW introduced an emergency rail timetable from December 22 – a reduction of between ten and 15% of the standard timetable introduced on December 12.

The new timetable sees a further reduction of between ten and 15% of the timetable introduced on December 22, with a focus on parts of the rail network suffering from particularly high staff absence.

The new timetable will remain in place over the coming weeks and will be reviewed regularly as the rail industry in Wales monitors the impact of the new Omicron variant on staff levels.

All customers are urged to check www.tfw.wales before travelling and follow the up-to-date guidance from the Welsh Government.

Jan Chaudhry-Van de Velde, Managing Director of TfW Rail, said: “Wherever we can, we’ll use additional carriages made available due to the reduced timetable to run longer trains, which will help with social distancing. We’ll also provide supplementary road transport, where possible.

“We appreciate this will be frustrating for some customers, and we have not taken this decision lightly. We ask that all customers check online before they travel and follow current government advice. Our aim is to restore the timetable as soon as absence rates caused by this wave of the pandemic allow.”