RAIL strikes will cause disruption this week for Dorset passengers.

Train drivers will be taking strike action this week which will see no trains available between Weymouth and London and a reduced service between Weymouth and Bristol later in the week.

South Western Railway (SWR) is operating a severely reduced service on Tuesday, January 30, due to industrial action by ASLEF.

That means the service from Weymouth to Waterloo will not be in operation.

The strike will also affect trains travelling through Axminster on the Exeter-Waterloo line.

Other services across the SWR network will also be operating at a reduced capacity.

On Monday January, 29 and from Wednesday, January 31, through to Tuesday, February 6, action short of a strike will mean a ban on overtime working.

Services across the SWR network will be subject to short-notice alterations and cancellations are also possible. 

Meanwhile, trains running between Bristol and Weymouth on the Great Western Railway (GWR) network will also be impacted by the strike.

From January 29 until February 3, GWR said that 'a normal level of service will operate throughout the day, but there will be some short-notice alterations and cancellations due strikes. 

On Sunday, February 4, however, there will be 'significant disruption to services' as a limited service between Bristol and Weymouth will be in operation.

An extremely limited service will also operate on certain routes on Monday, February 5 - which is GWR's designated strike day - with the full plan still to be confirmed.

There will be a reduced operating window with services starting at 7am and must be completed by around 7pm.

Passengers are again advised to plan ahead and check both inward and outward journeys before travelling.

 For more information on SWR trains visit southwesternrailway.com/strike.

For more information on GWR trains visit www.gwr.com/strike.