ALTON commuters suffered further disruption this week, as South Western Railway staff joined a fresh wave of strike action in an ongoing dispute over “rail safety”.

Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union members at South Western Railway joined colleagues at Northern, Merseyrail and Greater Anglia in downing tools on Tuesday and Wednesday, with a further 24-hour strike to follow tomorrow (Friday).

The RMT has blamed the disputes on issues including the role of train guards and the extension of driver-only services.

Several services on the Alton to Waterloo line, via Farnham, have been cancelled as a result of the industrial action, with the remaining services notably quieter than usual, with commuters seemingly finding alternative modes of transport.