First Great Western services are set to be "significantly" hit as strike action by rail workers is set to start tonight.

Members of the rail union RMT are striking after talks aiming to settle the dispute broke down without agreement.

Thousands of members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union at First Great Western will walk out for 48 hours from 6.30pm tonight.

Last minute talks are believed to be taking place between the RMT union and First Great Western in a final attempt to avert the strike. 

The industrial action means there will be no trains between Weymouth and Westbury from 6.30pm on Thursday, July 9 until the morning of Saturday, July 11.

The strike is being held over concerns surrounding jobs and safety concerns relating to the introduction of new super fast trains.

RMT general secretary, Mick Cash said: “RMT has made every effort to secure a series of very basic assurances from FGW over jobs, services and safety as a result of the introduction of the new Hitachi fleet and they have shown no intention of addressing those issues in the talks today.

“RMT is angry and disappointed that the company have ignored the massive vote for action by their staff and have instead opted to plough ahead with a series of actions that will decimate jobs, services and safety. As a result of FGW collapsing the talks in this cavalier fashion the action goes ahead as planned.”