Veterans holding tickets for the Cenotaph Parade could be forced to take a rail replacement bus to Remembrance Sunday events, a move described as a "mark of disrespect". The Royal British Legion has warned ticket-holders based in Winchester and Salisbury that engineering works may cause major travel disruption on November 8.
The charity said South Western Railway and Network Rail Wessex were offering one-way bus travel departing from the Wiltshire cities at 4.45am to arrive in London at 8am, The Telegraph reports.
Veterans voice anger over travel plans
Major Christopher McLean, 67, who lives near Salisbury, described it as the "latest mark of disrespect", following criticism of Labour's Northern Ireland Troubles Bill, which veterans argue does not adequately protect them. He said: "No one seems to have thought this through. If I had planned like that in my Army logistics career, I would have been sacked."
He added that many veterans are in their seventies and infirm, and will be forced to make other arrangements for the national day of commemoration. "Luckily, I can go up the night before and stay with relatives in Surrey," Major McLean said. "If I hadn't had family there, I would have pulled out."
Military figures criticise disruption
Retired British Army officer Colonel Richard Kemp also described Remembrance Sunday as "probably the most important day of the year when people can come together and pay respects to the war dead". "Veterans should be treated with the utmost respect, including by the railway companies," he added. "This clearly isn't good enough."
Railway networks across the country are scheduled to undergo engineering work on November 7 and 8, potentially undermining the Government's move to extend free railway travel on Remembrance weekend. The free travel now includes one immediate bereaved family member of a service person who died while serving in the Armed Forces, alongside serving military personnel and veterans.
Railway company responds
A spokesperson for South Western Railway said: "South Western Railway is proud of its commitment to the Armed Forces community and this year received the Ministry of Defence Gold Award. Unfortunately, long-planned and essential engineering works this weekend mean veterans will need to use a combination of train and rail replacement services to travel to London Waterloo."
"We investigated whether the engineering works could be rescheduled, but this would have meant deferring essential track maintenance to maintain the long-term safety and reliability of the railway."
A Royal British Legion spokesperson added: "We've worked with the rail authorities to contact veterans affected by planned engineering works so they know a rail replacement service has been arranged."
