Greater Anglia is advising people attended the Sundown festival in Norfolk the weekend after next to plan ahead, as both engineering work and industrial action will seriously disrupt rail services.
In their ongoing battles over pay and jobs, members of the RMT trade union will strike on Saturday 26 August and Saturday 2 September, and train drivers who are members of the ASLEF trade union will strike on Friday 1 September and refuse to work overtime on Saturday 2 September. Few services will run across Greater Anglia's network.
On Saturday 2 September and Sunday 3 September, the operator will run a very limited, and likely to be very busy, rail replacement bus service between Ipswich and Norwich. Buses will run hourly non-stop between Ipswich and Norwich, taking around an hour and a half. Hourly ‘stopper' buses will run between Ipswich and Norwich via Stowmarket and Diss, taking approximately two hours. Extra staff will be available at Ipswich and Norwich to help passengers with their journeys.
The festival has partnered with Big Green Coach to provide carbon-neutral return coach services directly to the festival gates from and to Cambridge, Chelmsford, Colchester, Ipswich and London (Victoria Coach Station).
Greater Anglia has also given advance warning that engineering work during the autumn will also mean that buses will replace trains between Ipswich and Norwich and Ipswich and Bury St Edmunds on the Ipswich – Cambridge/Peterborough line on the following dates:
- Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 September
- Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 September
- Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 September
- Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 September
- Saturday 30 September and Sunday 1 October
- Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 November
James Steward, Greater Anglia's Area Customer Service Manager, said: “We always want to support local events where possible. However, due to industrial action and engineering works over this weekend, we are advising customers to please plan ahead and consider alternative travel arrangements.
“A limited rail replacement service will run, and passengers are advised to check before they travel and allow more time for their journey. These buses will be extremely busy, and we are advising anyone attending Sundown festival to consider alternative travel arrangements.”
