Planned industrial action by the RMT union across the rail industry will cause serious disruption to train services to and from Oxford station next week.
The strike will take place on Tuesday 21, Thursday 23 and Saturday 25 June. Much of the national rail network will shut down completely, and even in places like Oxford where services will continue, these will be very limited and run only between 7.30am and 6.30pm.
There will also be an impact on Wednesday 22, Friday 24 and Sunday 26 June, with a reduced service in many areas.
If you are planning to travel to work by train, you should check with the relevant operator before setting off. Most, including GWR, the main operator of trains to and from Oxford station, recommend traveling only if it is unavoidable and warn that severe disruption is likely. Those services that do run will be very busy, and bus replacement services will not be available. Go to the GWR website for more information about the impact on train services.
If you would normally be working on-site, and cannot travel because of the strike, you should make alternative arrangements with your line manager in advance.
With line manager approval, and subject to operational needs, you may opt to:
- work at home (or perform your duties at another location)
- make up the time/hours lost (normally within one month)
- take a day’s annual leave
- have a day’s authorised leave without pay
If you have bought a rail ticket already but wish to cancel, you will receive a free refund. If you travel and are delayed by more than 15 minutes, you may be able to claim compensation through the Delay Repay scheme. If you have a season ticket and cannot travel, or do travel but arrive late, you can also claim back some of your ticket's value in a similar way. GWR is also allowing those with tickets to travel on strike days to use them the day before or up to two days later instead.
If you are planning to travel to London during the week, you should also be aware that there is a separate tube strike on Tuesday 21 June.
