Avanti West Coast is issuing advice to its customers ahead of industrial action taking place on Saturday the 26th of August by union RMT, which will mean that the rail operator will run a reduced timetable.

Trains services that are operating on Saturday the 26th of August are anticipated to be extremely busy due to several large-scale events taking place alongside the reduced timetable and short operating hours. The rail operator is therefore advising its customers to:

• Check their travel plans ahead of making a journey
• Be fully aware of the time of the last train home over the August Bank Holiday weekend
• Reserve seats

The national strike action taking place on the 26th of August will also impact 14 other rail operating companies, which could also affect customers with connecting journeys.

Saturday the 26th of August will see Avanti West Coast operate just one train each hour from London Euston to Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester and Preston, whilst services to Carlisle will be limited. First trains of the day will depart London Euston just before 8am with the last of the day departing just after 5pm.

The rail operators reduced timetable, forced by the strike action will also mean that on Saturday the 26th of August there will be no Avanti West Coast services for:

• North Wales
• Shrewsbury
• Chester
• Blackpool
• Stoke-on-Trent
• Glasgow
• Edinburgh

The following stations will also be closed on Saturday the 26th of August for operational reasons:

• Macclesfield
• Warrington Bank Quay
• Oxenholme

Planned engineering work will also see Avanti West Coast operate a reduced timetable on Sunday the 27th and Monday the 28th of August.

Further upgrade work taking place between Stoke-on-Trent and Macclesfield will see a rail replacement bus service operating at Stoke-on-Trent on Sunday the 27th and at both Stoke-on-Trent and Macclesfield on Monday the 28th of August.

Passengers who hold tickets for Saturday, the 26th of August, which were purchased prior to the 11th of August, can claim a full refund at their point of purchase. Tickets for the 26th of August can also be used on the 25th and up to and including the 29th of August.

Andy Mellors, Managing Director at Avanti West Coast, said:

“We’re sorry our customers will face disruption to their journeys over the August Bank Holiday weekend when RMT members go on strike.”

“As part of our contingency plans for Saturday 26 August, we’ll be operating a reduced timetable, so all our customers should plan ahead, check before they travel and be aware of their last train home. We’d like to thank our customers for their continued patience and understanding during this time.”

“Any customers with tickets for 26 August can make their journey on alternative days or claim a full refund.”

Further Strike action by ASLEF and RMT will also affect the rail operator on Friday the 1st and Saturday the 2nd of September with no Avanti West Coast services operating on Friday the 1st, and a substantially reduced service on the 2nd of September.