There will be trouble on the tracks later this month as the RMT union plans industrial action affecting services across the South West.

Services are expected to be affected on Sunday 23 and Saturday 29 August to Monday 31 August

First Great Western has confirmed it expects to run the majority of London Thames Valley services but long distance and local rail services will be reduced, should the planned strike action by RMT members go ahead.

Industrial action is likely to affect long distance and local rail services throughout Sunday 23 August and from Saturday 29 through to the end of service on Monday 31 August.

Ticket acceptance: Sunday 23 August If you have tickets for travel on Sunday 23 August your ticket will also be accepted for travel on FGW services on Saturday 22 August. Those with Advanced Purchase tickets will additionally be allowed to travel on the service immediate before or after their booked train.

If your journey involves a line where we’re not planning to offer a service at all on Sunday 23 August, then you can also travel on any off-peak FGW services on Monday 24 August.

Saturday 29 to Monday 31 August If you have tickets for Saturday 29, Sunday 30 or Monday 31 you can travel on any of those days. Those with Advanced Purchase tickets will additionally be allowed to travel on the service immediate before or after their booked train.

If your journey involves a line where we’re not planning to offer a service at all on Monday 31 August, then you can also travel on any off-peak FGW services on Tuesday 1 September.

Full refunds will be available for customers who choose not to travel.

Please note that we may not be able to honour seat reservations on these days, but should you choose to alter your travel plans we can change the reservation without penalty. Catering facilities on board will also be limited.

London Thames Valley Services will operate as normal with the following alterations: • Reading - Gatwick will operate hourly and terminate at Redhill; customers can complete their journey by using Southern Trains between Redhill and Gatwick • Reading - Basingstoke will run hourlyin each direction • Maidenhead - Marlow will terminate at Bourne End; customers for Marlow will need to make alternative arrangements between Bourne End and Marlow • Oxford and Reading - London fast services will be operated by different trains to usual (turbo trains instead of high speed trains Cross Country Trains will accept FGW tickets on Sunday 23 August and between Saturday 29 August and Monday 31 August on the following routes: • Reading - Wokingham (only on Saturday 29 August) • Between Oxford, Reading and Basingstoke Bristol We will run the following services in the Bristol area: • London Paddington - Bristol Temple Meads: hourlyin each direction • Bristol Temple Meads –Taunton via Weston-Super-Mare: hourly in each direction • Services on Cardiff - Portsmouth will only operate between Swindon and Salisbury: every two hours in each direction • Bristol Temple Meads - Gloucester: every two hours in each direction There are still engineering works in the Bath area –with replacement buses between Bath and Westbury and Bath and Chippenham (Our improvements work https://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/bath2015) page has more information).

The following train companies will accept FGW tickets on Sunday 23 August and between Saturday 29 August and Monday 31 August: • Newport - Cheltenham Spa: Arriva Trains Wales • Gloucester - Bristol: Cross Country trains We have had to cancel some routes in the Bristol area: Severn Beach - Bristol Temple Meads No services will be running between Severn Beach and Bristol Temple Meads during the strike.

Tickets will be accepted on the following bus routes: • Montpelier: take the 70 or 71 (Route map and timetable -http://www.firstgroup.com/uploads/maps/70_71_TT.pdf) • Redland/Clifton Down: take the 8 or 9 (Route map and timetable - http://www.firstgroup.com/uploads/maps/8_9_Temple_Meads_Circular_1_Sept13.pdf) • Shirehampton/Avonmouth: take the 40 or 41 (Route map and timetable -http://www.firstgroup.com/uploads/maps/40_41_TT_nov2014.pdf) Customers for St Andrews Road, Sea Mills and Severn Beach should plan their journey throughhttp://www.travelinesw.com/ South Wales We will run the following services in the South Wales area: • London Paddington - Cardiff via Bristol Parkway: one train an hourin each direction.

• Cardiff - Taunton services will only be running between Bristol Temple Meads and Taunton. Customers can change at Bristol Temple Meads for trains to Bristol Parkway and South Wales.

Customers can use the Greyhound 100 bus between Swansea and Cardiff (a daily adult ticket costs £5.50). Season tickets will be accepted on this route. Further information can be found at http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/assets/pdfs/wales/greyhound/100-1406.pdf Tickets will also be accepted on the following Arriva Trains Wales services on Sunday 23 August and between Saturday 29 August and Monday 31 August: • Carmarthen - Swansea • Swansea - Newport • Newport - Hereford • Newport - Cheltenham Arriva Trains Wales expect their services between Cardiff and Swansea to be busy and are looking to add extra capacity and services where possible.

South Cotswolds We will run the following services in the South Cotswolds area: • Gloucester - Swindon via Kemble: hourly in each direction North Cotswolds We will run the following service in the North Cotswolds area: • Worcester - Oxford: a three hourly service will operate at major stations along the line There will be no FGW services between Hereford and Worcester Shrub Hill. London Midland will accept FGW tickets on this route on Sunday 23 August and between Saturday 29 August and Monday 31 August.

Devon and Cornwall We will run the following services in the Devon and Cornwall area: • London Paddington - Plymouth: hourly in each direction • Plymouth - Penzance: every two hoursin each direction • Paignton - Exmouth via Exeter St Davids: hourly in each direction • Barnstaple - Exeter: three services a dayin each direction • St Erth - St Ives: normal service Tickets will also be accepted on Cross Country services between Bristol Temple Meads and Exeter, Plymouth and Penzance on Sunday 23 August and between Saturday 29 August and Monday 31 August.

We have had to cancel some services in the Devon and Cornwall area: • The Night Riviera sleeper service is cancelled on Sunday 23, Sunday 30 and Monday 31 August. We’ll be in touch with all customers • Looe - Liskeard: Customers can take the Plymouth City bus 72 between Liskeard and Looe - this service doesn’t call at Causland or Coombe • Newquay - Par. Customers can take the 21 bus which runs between St Austell and Newquay; more information can be found here: http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/devon_cornwall/assets/pdfs/journey_planning/booklets/21_may15.pdf. Tickets will be accepted on all routes • Falmouth –Truro. Customers can take the U1 bus which runs between Truro and Falmouth; more information can be found here: http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/devon_cornwall/assets/pdfs/journey_planning/booklets/u1_u2_may15.pdf. Tickets will be accepted on all routes • Plymouth –Gunnislake. Customers should make alternative arrangements Customers can plan journeys throughhttp://www.travelinesw.com/and see detailed timetables and route maps on http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/devon_cornwall/.

South Coast Services on the Cardiff - Portsmouth route will only operate every two hoursin each direction between Swindon and Salisbury.

No FGW services will be running between Weymouth and Westbury during the strike.

Alternative transport options are outlined below: • For Dorchester, Upwey and Weymouth can take South West Trains services from Salisbury to Southampton and change for connecting services towards Weymouth. Tickets will be accepted on this route.

• For stations between Maiden Newton and Westbury should make alternative arrangements.

• For Yeovil Pen Mill can change at Salisbury for South West Trains services to Yeovil Junction. Note there are approximately 2 miles between these two stations. Tickets will be accepted on this route.