TRAIN services on Severnside could be hit by a 48-hour strike by drivers tomorrow and Friday.

Drivers working for Arriva Trains Wales who are members of the RMT and ASLEF trade unions will not sign on for work between 12.01am tomorrow (November 12) and 11.59pm on Friday (November 13).

Arriva runs the bulk of services between Cardiff and Gloucester calling at Lydney, Chepstow and Caldicot and some trains serving Bristol from Severn Tunnel Junction.

Chepstow and Lydney will escape the worst of the disruption as services run by CrossCountry Trains will continue, of which there will also be a handful from Caldicot.

Key early morning commuter services operated by CrossCountry from Lydney and Chepstow to Cardiff and Gloucester will run but there could be delays in getting trains home in the evening.

The strike was due to have taken place last month but the RMT says it was postponed to allow “further meaningful discussions to take place.”

Further talks aimed at preventing the strike took place on Tuesday (November 10).

The union claims Arriva Trains Wales is “dragging its heels” over a revised pay offer for 2015.

Arriva Trains Wales says it has been “working constructively” with the unions.

The union says it was verbally advised that if it agreed to new productivity negotiations around breaks and movement times then the company would consider revising the first year element of the original pay offer.

No formal offer has been received since that meeting, claims the union and the strike action is designed to “force the company to take this matter seriously.”

RMT general secretary, Mick Cash said: “RMT officials have made every effort to resolve this dispute through negotiation, even postponing previous action in good faith so that management could return to the table with a serious offer.

“They have point blank refused to do that and, therefore, we have been left with no alternative other than to reinstate the strike action.

“Our members on Arriva Trains Wales are furious over this management intransigence which has left us with no option but to send a message that the union will refuse to stand by and allow them to be treated with such utter contempt over these important issues.

“As ever, RMT remains available for further meaningful talks.”

Arriva Trains Wales human resources director Gareth Thomas said: “We are obviously disappointed with the decision for proposed industrial action as we have been working constructively with the drivers’ unions, ASLEF and RMT, to bring to the table what we consider a generous and realistic pay deal.  

“We will obviously continue to negotiate with the unions, seeking to resolve this as soon as possible.”The Cross Country services stopping at local stations are:Lydney to Cardiff: 6.36am, 7.20am,10.44am,1.44pm, 4.44pm, 5.44pm and 9.40pmLydney to Midlands: 7.25am, 8.24am, 11.25am. 2.25pm, 5.25pm and 8.35pmChepstow to Cardiff: 6.46am, 7.29am, 8.51am, 9.51am, 11.51am, 12.51pm, 2.51pm, 3.51pm, 4.53pm, 9.49pm.Chepstow to Midlands: 7.16am, 9.18am, 10.18am, 12.18pm, 1.18pm, 3.18pm, 4.18pm, 6.18pm, 7.17pm and 8.26pm.Caldicot to Cardiff: 6.54am, 7.38am, 9.58pm. Caldicot to Midlands: 7.08am, 7.38am, 8.18pm.