TRAIN services across Dorset are set to suffer major disruption this weekend as a result of strike action.

Great Western Railway (GWR) has confirmed that industrial action by the RMT, Aslef and the TSSA unions will severely affect trains across its network this weekend and next week.

The action is planned for this Saturday, as well as Thursday, August 18, and Saturday, August 20, with days immediately after the strike days also affected. A significantly reduced temporary timetable has been put in place.

No GWR trains will be running in Dorset this Saturday. However, South Western Railway (SWR) services will continue to run.

On Thursday, August 18 and Saturday, August 20, there will be no SWR trains stopping through Dorset on their reduced service and GWR will not be running its Bristol to Weymouth service, meaning places such as Weymouth and Bournemouth will be cut off completely.

Both networks are advising passengers to find alternative ways to travel on these days and to only travel if absolutely necessary. The majority of train services will not operate and there will be no services on many routes.

South Western Railway’s Commercial Director, Peter Williams, said: “Please only travel if absolutely necessary between Thursday 18 and Sunday 21 August as strike action will severely impact our services. Those who must travel are urged to carefully check the times of first and last trains and seek alternative means of travel.

“The scale of the action will be incredibly disruptive for our customers with large parts of our network closed on strike days and a late start up on the morning after each strike day. First trains will run much later than usual and are likely to be very busy, so please travel later in the day if you can.

“We are sorry that strikes will again cause such disruption. We are grateful to our customers for their continued cooperation, patience, and understanding as the rail industry works to bring this damaging nationwide strike action to an end.”

To help customers, GWR say it is allowing people with tickets for travel on Saturday, August 13, to be able to travel on the day before and up to and including Tuesday, August 16. People with tickets for travel on Thursday 18 and Saturday 20 can travel on the day before and up to and including Tuesday, August 23.

Those travelling during the latter half of this week are also being reminded of the weather forecast and advised to check their journeys and ensure they are well-prepared for the extreme conditions – wearing cool clothes, taking handheld fans and ensuring they have plenty of water to drink.

Online journey checkers are expected to be updated with the latest timetable information.