ROMSEY commuters will face four days of no train service this week when rail strikes on South Western Railway (SWR) lines begin.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) Union is staging the action from August 30 to September 2 as part of an ongoing dispute over the role of guards on trains.

Mottisfont and Dunbridge, Chandlers Ford and Millbrook will have no service running through them during the strikes.

A spokesperson from SWR said they will do "everything possible" to keep customers moving during the four days of strike action.

They added: "We will be running just over half our normal timetabled service over the course of the four days and have rail replacement services and ticket acceptance in place on other transport providers wherever possible.

"We will also look for opportunities to introduce extra services each day to help keep our customers moving so recommend checking the SWR app for the latest travel information."

Romsey town centre manager, Mark Edgerley, said: "I am disappointed since we have made a great effort to encourage others to make use of Romsey station and for such an extended period of time there is going to be no service.

"The strike will also clash with the Romsey Food Festival on the Sunday so that will put a lot of pressure on parking and will make it a lot more difficult than it needs to be."

He added: "There is the right to take industrial action in this country, but it is always the users who suffer."

Cllr Dorothy Baverstock, who represents Romsey Cupernham on the borough council, said: "It's appalling. It's going to be terrible because a lot of people use the train to go to Salisbury and beyond.

"People are still going and coming back from holiday and the schools start next week, so people will be really stuck if they are returning from the West Country."

She added: "It will absolutely affect the Romsey Food Festival because a lot of people come from Southampton on the train and the car parking will be a nightmare.

"It is unbelievable they have chosen this weekend.!