Rail strike: Isle of Wight services runs as normal despite walkout

Southampton Central Station is running a limited service to London Waterloo for the second day of strikes

The Isle of Wight is one of the only places in the country where train services are running as normal despite rail workers going back on strike.

Most other stations across the south of England have come to a standstill on the second day of action this week.

The 30 members of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) on the island all voted against the strike leaving services unaffected.

The union is picketing over job cuts, pay and working conditions.

RMT union members on the Isle of Wight voted against a strike so are continuing to work

Analysis

By Paul Clifton, BBC South transport correspondent

The tiny 8.5-mile Island Line is different in many ways.

Today it is the only part of the rail network to offer a full service.

Unlike the rest of England, the train operator South Western Railway is in charge of the track and signals.

The union members on the island voted against a strike, whereas on the mainland Network Rail signallers who belong to the union are mostly on the picket lines instead.

Phil Dominey, from South Western Railway, said staff on the island were balloted separately and he was not able to comment on why they did not vote for strike action.

"But I do think it reflects there's a community feel, there's a family feel and there's a desire to make the island line a real success," he added.

Limited services have been running in Hampshire, Dorset, Oxfordshire and Berkshire.

Bournemouth Railway Station has been heavily impacted, with no trains running at all on strike days.

Some passengers in the region have complained of "huge destruction" to their commutes.

The second day of action comes after talks between the RMT and railway employers broke down.

The union accused Transport Secretary Grant Shapps of "wrecking" negotiations by refusing to allow Network Rail to withdraw redundancy threats.

Mr Shapps called the claim "a total lie", adding the union was solely to blame for the "massive disruption".

A passenger travelling from Winchester to Southampton said carriages were deserted at peak times

Commuters in Banbury, Oxfordshire, said the station was "deserted" at its busiest time, while those at Oxford station said platforms were "quieter than normal".

One Oxford passenger said he was supporting those striking as he knew they would be losing pay for taking action.

The only lines open in the south of England are between Southampton and London Waterloo and the Great Western routes through the Thames Valley, as well as the link between Basingstoke and Reading.

People at Reading station told BBC Radio Berkshire they had been late to work all week because of strike action.

RMT union members formed a picket line outside Reading Train Station for the second strike

One man said: "It's been horrendous, it's just a week of huge destruction."

One of the only unaffected networks is the Isle of Wight's Island Line which operates between Ryde Pier Head and Shanklin.

The service was closed for 10 months during 2021 for a £26m upgrade but is offering a full timetabled service during the strikes.