RAIL services in and out of Swindon will be cut from Monday in a bid to fight coronavirus.

GWR confirmed yesterday that it would be reducing its timetable in response to government advice against non-essential travel.

It stressed it will be keeping enough trains running to help keep key workers moving during the Covid-19 crisis.

The new timetable will come into force at the start of next week (Monday, March 23) – with some changes expected to advertised services over this weekend – and will operate until further notice.

Services between London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads, and between London Paddington and South Wales, will run hourly. Trains between London Paddington and Plymouth will continue to operate every hour, and customers will be able to connect for services to and from Cornwall.

Pullman Dining will no longer be available and the Night Riviera service will be withdrawn after this evening (March 20).

Services on regional lines and branch lines will operate to a revised timetable.

GWR interim managing director Matthew Golton said: “The railway is a critical part of the UK’s infrastructure and, even though many people are remaining at home due to the latest government advice, we will be relied upon to continue to help key workers in other sectors get to work so they can provide services critical to the day-to-day running of the country.

“Our responsibility is to run a service that can be relied upon at this time. We are taking sensible measures to make sure we are able to do so.”

Despite the cuts, GWR has moved to reassure those who do have to travel that demand remains low, and customers are able to distance themselves from others.

Measures already taken include:

• Amending its refunds policy to make it easier for those not able to travel to alter their plans or to seek a refund on the cost of unused tickets.

• Extensive cleaning and hygiene regimes to ensure services are fit for use. All trains are fully cleaned on arrival at a depot overnight and surfaces wiped down. The company has also doubled up on high-contact areas, such as handles and doors.

• Establishing a secondary control room and a strategic command room with Network Rail to ensure it has another clean location to maintain vital rail services.

Full details of the new timetable will appear at www.gwr.com/travel-updates/check-your-journey