TRAINS will be severely affected today, Saturday, across the South West due to industrial action by the RMT, Aslef and the TSSA unions, with services unable to operate across many routes.

The action is planned for today, Saturday, 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.

Passengers are being advised to find alternative ways to travel on these days.

On strike days an extremely limited service will operate between 7am and 6.30pm, and last trains will leave much earlier. Where trains are able to operate, they will be extremely busy.

GWR has said it will operate as many trains as possible during the strike action, however the following travel advice is in place over the strike period:

Tomorrow, Friday, trains will run as planned but will be busy, and with some minor changes to late night services. Please check before you travel including those travelling to the Boardmasters Festival.

On Saturday an extremely limited service will only operate on the routes below. Services will start later and finish much earlier than normal.

Bristol Temple Meads-London Paddington; Reading to Oxford; Reading to Basingstoke. No other GWR services will run.

On Sunday Trains will continue to be severely disrupted, especially on long-distance intercity routes, please make alternative travel arrangements and only travel if absolutely necessary.

On Thursday, August 18, A significantly limited service will operate so make alternative travel arrangements and only travel if absolutely necessary. No rail services will operate on the following routes:

All lines in Cornwall, including all branch lines

West of Newton Abbot (change at Exeter) towards Plymouth/Cornwall (due to no contingency signallers).

All branch lines in Devon (Barnstaple, Exmouth, Paignton, Okehampton).

Check before you travel.