FIRST Great Western has warned commuters services will be significantly reduced should planned strike action go ahead next week.

After announcement earlier this week members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) at First Great Western (FGW) will walk out from 6.30pm on July 8 in a 24-hour strike over jobs and other issues brought about by plans to introduce new trains.

While FGW will meet for talks with RMT on Monday if industrial action is taken it is likely to affect long distance and local rail services from Thursday, July 9, to the morning of Saturday, July 11, with limited passenger capacity and very busy trains.

Meanwhile, an overtime ban on Saturday, July 11, could also mean late notice changes or possible cancellations.

The TransWilts service between Swindon and Westbury, via Melksham, will definately not be operated if the strike goes ahead, said FGW, while mainline services between Bristol and South Wales, via Swindon, will be limited.

FGW managing director Mark Hopwood said: "We are pleased that we have been able to identify a number of routes and services where we can continue to offer a service. This is limited and in some areas services are significantly impacted.

"However we recommend customers check the website for full details next week as they may find that travel by train is unaffected.

“This industrial action is about the new trains we are bringing into operation, the largest fleet upgrade on the Great Western for a generation, which will shave journey times by as much as 17 minutes, and provide the extra seating capacity we know our customers want to see.

"In order to be able to do this we need to operate these trains differently to the way we operate our current 40 year-old High Speed Trains.

"All of the issues raised by the RMT have been discussed with representatives and we believe we have made some progress. We are continuing to meet and I very much hope that the RMT will not go ahead with the strike.”

Earlier this week RMT said around 2,000 members will walk out after a ballot backing for strikes by 80 per cent, and other forms of action by 92 per cent.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: "RMT has made every effort to secure a series of very basic assurances from FGW over jobs, services and safety as a result of the introduction of the new Hitachi fleet and they have simply ignored us.

"We therefore had no option but to ballot all staff for action to force the company to take this issue seriously and the members have now voted decisively for action."