RAIL strikes will be held this week, affecting millions of people across the country.

On Saturday, the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union confirmed strikes at Network Rail and 13 train operators will go ahead this week.

Here’s everything you need to know and how the strikes will affect Dorset residents.

When are the strikes?

The strike days are Tuesday, June 21, Thursday, June 23 and Saturday, June 25

A strike will also take place on the London Underground on Tuesday. 

Why are the strikes taking place?

The action by tens of thousands of rail workers comes amid a dispute over job losses and the RMT's demands for a pay rise that keeps pace with inflation.

Mick Lynch, general secretary of the RMT, said: “Despite the best efforts of our negotiators no viable settlements to the disputes have been created.”

Mr Lynch said thousands of jobs were being cut across the rail networks and workers were facing below-inflation pay rises.

Transport secretary Grant Shapps has accused the rail union of “punishing” millions of innocent people.

Mr Shapps said the travelling public faced a week of “misery” because the union had refused repeated appeals to call off their action.

How will this affect me?

South Western Railway (SWR)

  • There will be no rail service between Dorset and London on the three strike days 
  • The operator will run a severely reduced timetable on strike days with "significant" parts of the network closed 
  • A severely limited service will run between 7.15am and 6.30pm on some routes for those who have no choice but to travel 
  • South Western Railway will run a late-starting Sunday level of service across the network between strike days on June 22, 24 and 26
  • South Western Railway customers are urged only to travel by rail if absolutely necessary between June 21 and 26

Great Western Railway (GWR)

  • There will be be no trains from Weymouth to Bristol
  • GWR say they expect to run less than one train an hour out of Weymouth on non-strike days
  • Anyone wishing to travel should check the website for times on the day due to the "potential for last minute timetable changes"

What is South Western Railway's reduced timetable?

SWR's reduced timetable will run from 7.15am to 6.30pm on the three strike days, and will consist of:  

  • Four trains per hour in each direction between Waterloo and Windsor via Hounslow 
  • Two semi-fast trains per hour in each direction between Waterloo and Basingstoke  
  • Four trains per hour in each direction between Waterloo and Woking 
  • Two fast trains per hour in each direction between Waterloo and Southampton 

Trains will not stop at all stations on these routes.

There will be no South Western Railway services across the rest of the network.

The first train to Waterloo from Southampton will leave at 7.30am with the last train leaving Southampton at 4.59pm.

The first train from Waterloo to Southampton is at 7.30am with the last at 5pm.

Services will call at London Waterloo, Clapham Junction, Woking, Basingstoke, Winchester, Eastleigh, Southampton Airport Parkway and Southampton Central. 

Customers are urged to check the SWR website for latest information at southwesternrailway.com/strike  

What's happening on non-strike days? (June 22, 24 and 26)

  • No South Western Railway trains will run before 7.30am
  • A late-starting Sunday level of service will run across the network for the rest of the day
  • Services are likely to be busier than usual
  • Customers are urged to check their journey before they travel

What has South Western Railway said?

South Western Railway’s managing director, Claire Mann, said: “The sheer scale of this planned industrial action severely limits the number of trains we can run and routes we can serve.

“I am sorry these strikes will cause such disruption and am grateful to our customers for their patience and understanding as the rail industry works to bring this damaging nationwide action to an end.”

Will there be picket lines?

Dorset’s branch of the union has announced there will be “lawful picketing” taking place at Weymouth Station on June 21 and 23 as well as along the railway bridge near to Bournemouth railway station.

A spokesperson for Dorset Rail, the regional RMT union, said: “The strikes are the result of RMT members being balloted for strike action, and action short of strike, regarding thousands of planned job cuts, pay freezes and changes to negotiated terms and conditions. All of our rail members will be out on strike barring successful negotiations taking place.”

Can I claim compensation or a refund?

South Western Railway says: 

  • If you have already purchased daily tickets for June 21 to 26, and you decide not to travel because the service you originally intended to travel on is no longer running or has been retimed, you will be able to claim a fee-free refund, or use the same ticket to travel between June 20 and 28.
  • Monthly and longer season ticket holders who were unable to travel or followed advice and chose not to travel on 21, 23 or 25 June can claim compensation through our Delay Repay scheme. Please make one claim for each day affected and select a delay of 120+ minutes to claim back the value of one day’s travel.