South Western Railway services between London Waterloo and Exeter St Davids will run to a reduced timetable from Monday 11 August until further notice.
One train every two hours will run between London Waterloo and Exeter St Davids, reduced from one train per hour. These services will also take one hour longer.
Hourly train services between London Waterloo and Yeovil Junction will also take 25 minutes longer.
The amended timetable will restore train services to Crewkerne, which has been served by buses since Monday 28 July. Crewkerne will be served once every two hours by trains between London Waterloo and Exeter St Davids.
Journey planners will be updated from Monday 4 August.
The temporary timetable is designed to provide customers with a reliable service while trains adhere to speed restrictions, the result of a condition known as soil moisture deficit.
Stuart Meek, South Western Railway’s Chief Operating Officer, said:
“We are very sorry for the disruption that customers will experience due to this change, as we know just how important the West of England line is to the communities it serves.
“We have not taken this decision lightly and we recognise the impact that it will have on customers west of Yeovil in particular. However, to continue operating a safe and reliable service, we have no alternative but to introduce a reduced timetable.
“We always aim to minimise disruption and so, together with our colleagues at Network Rail, we will carefully monitor train performance and work hard to give customers a service that they can rely on.
“We encourage customers to plan ahead via our website and allow extra time to complete their journeys.”
Dartmoor Marshals Return to Help Protect the National Park This Summer
Cutting-edge technology aims to reduce waiting times for patients
‘Bruising’ lessons learned from Devon heart care furore
Protect your children: parents urged to vaccinate children during summer holidays as measles continues to spread
