Rail strikes to cause major disruption in Devon and Cornwall

There will be significant disruption to rail services over the next week with a number of strike days.

Four unions are staging coordinated action, with strikes scheduled for Saturday, along with Thursday, Friday and Saturday of next week.

There will be no trains in Cornwall or Devon on strike days, in what GWR called a "dire situation".

Days between and immediately after are also likely to be affected if trains are not in their assigned locations.

Train drivers' union ASLEF is striking on Saturday and will be joined by the RMT, UNITE and TSSA unions next week.

It will be the first time the unions have walked out at the same time and services will be more significantly disrupted than during previous action.

The unions are in dispute with the government and rail companies about pay, job cuts and changes to terms and conditions.

Paul Gentleman, from GWR, said: "In Devon and Cornwall, there will be no trains whatsoever. The closest you can get to catching a GWR train over this period will be Bristol Temple Meads."

He added: "We are really sorry for passengers.

"Next week we will see an impact on schools, people's work, so it is a massive disruption.

"We want this dispute to end - we want a resolution to be found."

Union leaders said their members faced no choice but to continue their ongoing industrial action.

Rail operators said their advice was to not travel by train if it could be avoided.

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