2 trains an hour will begin running on Island Line during peak periods from Monday, South Western Railway (SWR) has announced.
The service uplift is designed to cater to local schools in the New Year and, once current restrictions lift, commuters, representing a stepping stone towards the full half-hourly service which South Western Railway (SWR) is committed to delivering.
In addition to the current hourly service, the following extra trains will run:
- From Ryde St Johns Road to Ryde Esplanade on weekdays: 06:05
- From Ryde Esplanade to Shanklin on weekdays: 06:14, 07:14, 08:14, 16:14, 17:14, 18:14, 19:14 (just to Ryde St Johns Road)
- From Shanklin to Ryde Esplanade on weekdays: 06:48, 07:48, 08:48, 15:48. 16:48, 17:48, 18:48
- From Ryde St Johns Road to Shanklin on weekdays: 15:18
- From Ryde St Johns Road to Ryde Esplanade on Saturdays: 10:06
- From Ryde Esplanade to Shanklin on Saturdays: 10:14, 11:14, 12:14, 17:14, 18:14, 19:14 (just to Ryde St Johns Road)
- From Shanklin to Ryde Esplanade on Saturdays: 10:48, 11:48, 12:48, 16:48. 17:48, 18:48
- From Ryde St Johns Road to Shanklin on Saturdays: 16:18
During these peak times, 1 train per hour will travel to and from Ryde Pier Head to connect with the ferry service, with the other additional service terminating at Ryde Esplanade – improving connections with Hovertravel.
Since the Island Line reopened on 1st November, SWR have run 1 train per hour to match low customer demand, synchronise with the scaled-back ferry timetable and make the return to service as smooth as possible. Having bedded in an effective and efficient service, SWR is now in a position to increase the number of trains during the peak.
Alex Foulds, SWR’s Commercial Projects Director, said:
“We are delighted to introduce additional Island Line services from Monday, which are set to make a big difference to our customers. Double the number of peak time trains will help people get to where they need to be more quickly, be they commuters, school children or leisure travellers.
“As well as ensuring that we match capacity and demand, these changes will give a boost to the Island’s transport network, offering enhanced connectivity and better integrated public transport.
Article continues below this advertisement “Following the biggest upgrade to the Island Line in decades, today’s announcement marks an important milestone on our journey towards implementing the full timetable”.
A copy of the new timetable can be downloaded here.
Very well done to all the staff involved in this project i think you have done a superb job. lets hope this is the start of bigger things to come for the island as there is way too much traffic now here.
They ain’t got enough staff to run one service an hour, what have all these guards and drivers been doing while these works took place? Did not see one giving customer service at the replacement bus stops.
You have almost the appropriate name, it should be, are you for real. Where would the staff use toilet facilities at a bus stop?
in the station opposite! clearly a pampered employee
I don’t remember the bus stopping at the following stations, Lake, sandown, Brading, Ryde St Johns, so where would those staff go during an 8 hour shift?
Yep, good luck with that. I wonder how long this new service will last ? 2-3 days I guess, before the staff start falling like flies or the signalling stops working. They couldn’t even manage one train last week, let alone two.
You sir, are a first class idiot
Bojosays is clearly one of these missing staff sat at home with nothing better to do than stalk the comments section lol
You on drugs? The trains have been running like clock work including all last week.
Oh no they weren’t.
Please remind me of which idiot out of you two who claimed that the new trains would not travel along the pier as they were to heavy ?
Having use the train for the first tine a few weeks ago, excellent. And the automatic ticket machines are very easy to use. Far better and they may not make some money now you’re able to buy a ticket!