A person was struck by a train this morning, causing major disruption to railway services between Wiltshire and London. All lines between London Paddington and Reading have been blocked, with emergency services working to manage the situation.
The incident is affecting Great Western Railway (GWR) services running between Wiltshire and the capital, leading to cancellations or delays of up to 60 minutes. Disruption is expected to continue until at least 10am. GWR confirmed that all trains in the affected area have been halted.
Passengers are advised to use alternative routes at no extra charge, including South Western Railway services between Reading and London Waterloo. Other options include travel via Basingstoke, Guildford, Woking, or between London Waterloo and Windsor and Eton Riverside. Chiltern Railways also offers services between Oxford and London Marylebone.
Avanti West Coast and CrossCountry services are accepting affected passengers, though GWR warned that using these routes may add considerable time and should only be considered when no alternative is available. Replacement transport is being requested, although no buses, coaches, or taxis have been requested at the time of the disruption notice.
Passengers whose trains are cancelled can use either of the two services before or after their booked train at no additional cost. Travellers are advised to consider postponing their journeys until services return to normal. Emotional support is available through Samaritans free on 116 123.
