Fans planning on attending England’s first autumn international against South Africa have been told to allow extra time for their journeys owing to industrial action on South Western Rail.

Saturday’s strike is the first of three days planned this month, as RMT union workers walk out in a continuing dispute over the role of guards on trains.

South Western Rail are planning on running 12 trains an hour from Waterloo to Twickenham and maintaining at least 50% of its normal Saturday services.

However, fans are still being urged to allow for delays during their journeys. Bus services will operate in order to help ferry England fans to the stadium.

In a statement published from their website, the RMT said it was “angry and frustrated that South Western Railway have failed to respond seriously to a union call for talks around the guard guarantee on their trains”.

A spokesman for South Western Rail said: “The RMT is cynically targeting sports fans and families and friends wanting to attend fireworks displays with their latest strike.”

Saturday’s game begins England’s final lap en-route to next year’s World Cup in Japan.

 

Words: George Robson | Subbing: Fiona Patterson