Talks aimed at ending a dispute that has crippled rail services on some of Britain busiest routes will be held later today.
Officials from South West Trains (SWT) and the Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) union will meet in London. The move came as SWT services were severely disrupted for a second day because of a walkout by thousands of RMT members.
Almost 90 per cent of trains were cancelled, causing travel misery for commuters and other rail users across southern England and on busy routes into London's Waterloo station.
The union has rejected a 7.6 per cent pay offer over two years and claims the company has victimised one of its Waterloo-based officials, Mr Greg Tucker.
But SWT insists he was downgraded from a train driver to a ticket collector because of a safety-related incident.
The company has called on the union to postpone another 48-hour strike planned for next Monday and Tuesday so that talks can take place.
PA