South West Trains drivers set to strike

Strike action is looming for South West Trains passengers after the company announced on Wednesday that drivers would walk off the job for four days from March 31 in a row over pay.

But the drivers' union, Aslef, said negotiations were continuing. It said a further meeting was set for Thursday and that it had merely issued a "statement of intent" to strike in the event that discussions broke down.

In a statement, South West Trains managing director, Stewart Palmer, said the union had announced it would strike after a 4.5 percent pay rise had been rejected.

But an Aslef spokesman said no decision had been made and that, despite the company's "provocative behaviour," talks would continue.

"We are astonished that the company should be declaring strikes before negotiations are finished," a spokesman said.