Local News · Salisbury
Salisbury rail passengers face travel misery after major line disruption
By Swindon Now Editorial Team · Published
Commuters travelling to Salisbury faced five-hour delays and stranded journeys as a police incident near Woking brought the South Western Railway network to a standstill.
Rail passengers travelling towards Salisbury experienced severe disruption on Thursday, October 22, after a police incident between Woking and Brookwood forced the closure of the railway line. The incident, which began shortly before 4pm, saw a vulnerable person in a dangerous position on a bridge, requiring the emergency services to keep the line blocked until nearly 1am on Friday morning.
Thousands of passengers across the South Western Railway network were caught in the resulting chaos. One commuter, who had intended to board the 6.23pm service from London Waterloo to Salisbury, described a five-hour ordeal after being directed to take an alternative route via Paddington and Reading to reach Basingstoke, before finally arriving in Salisbury at 11.48pm.
Matt Winnie, South Western's Chief Customer and Commercial Officer, issued an apology for the significant frustration caused to travellers. He confirmed that the railway could not be reopened until the emergency services were satisfied the situation had been safely resolved. Teams worked throughout the night to reposition crews and rolling stock, though the network faced residual challenges into the following day.
How to claim for travel costs
As the disruption unfolded, South Western Railway authorised passengers to arrange their own taxis to reach their destinations, including those travelling beyond Salisbury, and advised that these costs could be claimed back. Passengers seeking reimbursement for taxi fares or those wishing to apply for compensation for delayed journeys under the Delay Repay scheme must ensure they follow the operator's formal process.
To submit a claim, travellers are required to provide:
Full contact details
The date and time of the journey
Specific details of the stations travelled between
A clear description of the events
Copies of both their train ticket and the taxi receipt
The operator has specified that claims must be submitted within 28 days of the travel date. Further disruption followed on Friday, October 23, due to a tree blocking the tracks between Branksome and Bournemouth, leading to additional cancellations and delays which were expected to last until at least 6pm.
Source: Salisbury Journal — Salisbury · View original