FED-up commuters face weeks of disruption as rail union members began a series of summer strikes over eight different days on Thursday.

The RMT Union is pursing its grievance over rail safety and axing of guards for driver-only trains with strike action starting today (Thursday), with further walk-outs planned on July 28, 31, August 4, 11, 18 and 31 and September 1.

With plans for the introduction of 750 new carriages on Waterloo services by the end of 2020 – as part of a £1.2billion investment by Hong Kong owners MTR – now put on hold, Whitehall ministers face protracted talks over SWR’s franchise just a year after its creation.

South Western Railway confirmed it will run a reduced service on most of its lines during the latest RMT strike on Thursday, July 26.

Some services will be cancelled or delayed, and others will be busier than usual, with the operator hoping to run two thirds of its normal capacity.

Passengers are strongly advised to check their journey online before they travel.

Commenting on the strike a South Western Railway spokesperson said: “We are doing everything we can to minimise disruption to our customers and plan to deliver two thirds of our normal capacity on Thursday, July 26.

"We are using all available resources including contingency guards, providing replacement bus services, arranging ticket acceptance on a number of other rail and bus networks and running as many trains as possible at maximum length to provide as much capacity as possible.“

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said the action was about protecting "safety, security and accessibility".

He said: "RMT is angry and frustrated that a request by the union to get serious talks with South Western Railway bolted down this week was met with the same old tired response from the company that refuses to move the process on and address the fundamental issues."