Emma Gibson from London Travelwatch said: “No one returning to the office this week will want to turn up at their local station and find their train isn’t running or face overcrowding when their train does turn up.
“We’ve been asking train companies to make sure that they increase the number of trains on their routes as soon as they can to take account of increasing demand from commuters. Temporary cuts to train services due to Covid must not become the norm.”
Angie Doll, Govia Thameslink operating chief, said: “Our customers tell us they want a reliable service, not lots of last-minute cancellations and that has always been at the heart of our decision making.
“This timetable ensures services are as reliable as possible when fewer staff are available due to the effects of coronavirus. We’re really sorry if this affects your journey.”
A spokesman for South Western Railway said: “While staff shortages caused by the spread of omicron still pose significant challenges to the operation of our railway, we continue to carefully monitor the situation and keep our timetable under constant review.
“Throughout this challenging period, we are doing all we can to ensure that we meet customer demand. That’s why, following an increase in staff availability, we are already reintroducing some services from this coming Monday, and will make further additions as soon as it is possible to do so.”
A spokesman for the Rail Delivery Group said: “As they have throughout the pandemic, rail companies are acting sensibly by making sure the number of trains they run reflects the number of passengers.
“This means people can get where they need to be while also not taking more than our fair share from taxpayers who are supporting the railway while fewer people take the train.
“The pandemic has fundamentally changed the way people travel. Train travel is crucial to a green economic recovery for our towns and cities. As passengers return, we will monitor timetables closely running services which fit changed travel patterns so that rail is an attractive choice.”
