Two-day train strike a ‘pretty sure bet’ despite further bid to avert industrial action by South West Trains and unions

Talks aimed at averting more strikes on South West Trains (SWT) services ended without agreement yesterday.

Drivers are set to walk out for 24 hours on Friday and Monday, crippling services into London’s Waterloo Station and across southern England.

During previous strikes last month SWT was only able to run 300 services out of a scheduled 1,700.

The dispute began over the use of taxis for some drivers based at Waterloo, but became more serious after SWT used managers to drive trains during a previous industrial action.

The train drivers union Aslef said it had put proposals to the train company to resolve the impasse, but an official said it was a “pretty sure bet” strikes would happen.

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However, the union said it still hoped to resolve the dispute without industrial action.

Further talks between the two sides are scheduled for today.