South West Trains strike averted

South West Trains runs services to more than 200 stations in the South

A strike by drivers at South West Trains has been averted after a dispute over new rotas was resolved.

The planned walk-outs were to hit services at one of the country's biggest rail companies on 22 September and 6 October.

But Aslef, the union which represents most drivers, said it had reached an agreement with management on Thursday over payment for lost shifts.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) is expected to do the same.

An Aslef spokesman told BBC News Online: "The dispute was about payment for lost time for drivers who refused to work new rotas that were imposed without being agreed.

"It has been satisfactorily resolved."

South West Trains runs services to 207 stations in the South, including Surrey, Hampshire and Dorset.

Aslef drivers make up more than 1,100 out of 1,200 working for South West Trains while the RMT has 19 members.

A spokeswoman for South West Trains said: "We were always confident that an acceptable outcome would be reached and this is obviously extremely good news for our passengers."