Chiltern Railway services from Monday 23rd March will be moving to a reduced timetable to ensure that vital train services for key workers can keep running throughout the Coronavirus outbreak. This timetable will remain in place until further notice, though service levels will be kept under regular review. People needing to travel on Monday should check their train time from midday on Sunday.
There will be one train per hour in each direction between London Marylebone and Birmingham, Oxford, Aylesbury via High Wycombe and Aylesbury Vale Parkway via the Metropolitan Line. Additional peak services will be provided Monday to Friday and early morning and late evening trains for key workers will still be provided.
The national move to a reduced timetable agreed with the government marks the second phase in the industry’s response to the virus. Moving to a reduced timetable balances current significantly reduced levels of demand with the need to reduce the number of people required to run the network, which will help to ensure there are enough staff to keep services running over the coming weeks and months. As a vital artery for Britain, the railway is crucial to ensuring that key workers like nurses, police officers and firefighters can get to work
Mary Hewitt, Interim Managing Director said: “This is not a decision we have taken lightly, however implementing this reduced timetable now means that we can protect Chiltern Railways’ ability to operate a reliable service and continue to get key workers to where they need to be. I’d like to pay tribute to the Chiltern Railways team who are working so hard to keep the railway running. I am immensely proud of the service they have provided in such challenging times.”