SOUTH Western Railway has announced an upcoming strike over a long-running pay dispute.

Passengers across Dorset are urged to check before they travel ahead of the strike.

Members of train drivers' union Aslef will hold a rolling programme of one-day walkouts between April 5 and 8, coupled with a six-day ban on overtime.

The union said it wanted to increase the pressure on the “intransigent” train companies and the “tone-deaf” government following a series of strikes stretching back 20 months.

Train drivers have not had a pay rise for five years, since April 2019, said Aslef.

On Monday, April 8, South Western Railway main line and depot drivers, and SWR Island Line will be striking amongst other rail companies.

Members will also refuse to work their rest days from Thursday April 4 to Saturday 6 April and from Monday April 8 to Tuesday 9 April.

Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan said: “Last month, when we announced renewed mandates for industrial action because under the Tories’ draconian anti-union laws we have to ballot our members every six months, we called on the train companies, and the government, to come to the table for meaningful talks to negotiate a new pay deal for train drivers who have not had an increase in salary since 2019.

“Our members voted overwhelmingly – yet again – for strike action.

“Those votes show a clear rejection by train drivers of the ridiculous offer put to us in April last year by the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) which knew that offer would be rejected because a land grab for all the terms and conditions we have negotiated over the years would never be accepted by our members.

“Since then train drivers have voted, time and again, to take action in pursuit of a pay rise.”