RAIL passengers on the Alton to Waterloo line are to suffer further disruption over the Easter break with a four-day strike set to commence on Friday.

The RMT rail union has instructed guards and drivers to refuse to work from 00.01am on Friday, March 30 to 11.59pm on Monday, April 2 after members voted “by huge majorities” in favour of the action.

It concerns an ongoing dispute over the safety, the roles of guards and “driver-only operated” trains.

The union has accused SWR of failing to engage in “meaningful talks” and of attempting to “threaten, bully and harass” union members.

But SWR said it intends to operate a “normal timetable” over the Easter period, and blamed the union for seeking to disrupt passengers’ holiday plans.