RAIL workers at First Great Western are said to be "solidly" supporting a 48-hour strike as the company said that more than 60% of services were running today.

And First Great Western has denied safety claims made by the Rail, Maritime and Transport union.

RMT members walked out at 6.30pm yesterday in a row over jobs and buffet facilities on new Hitachi trains and picket lines were mounted at stations across FGW routes.

Today RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: "RMT members across First Great Western are solidly supporting the 48 hours of strike action over the threat to jobs, services and safety. Pickets are out in force and the mood is united and determined as we fight for workplace justice.

"FGW are running a skeleton service in some areas which is dangerously overcrowded and being operated by inadequately trained managers, raising serious safety issues which RMT will be taking up formally.

"The anger of staff is clear as the action bites and it is now down to the company to recognise that and get back round the table to address the serious issues at the core of this dispute."

A First Great Western spokesman said: "With more than 60 per cent of services operating as normal, those who need to travel are able to do so over Thursday and Friday, July 9 and 10, across the majority of the First Great Western network, but passengers are reminded to check their journey before they travel.

"With around 10 per cent more staff than expected reporting for duty, the company expects to add additional train services to its emergency timetable throughout the day.

"First Great Western is re-iterating today that it has no intention to remove train managers from intercity trains.

"The dispute between First Great Western and the RMT centres on the introduction of new Super Express Trains, which will replace the current 40-year-old intercity fleet from 2017.

"To give the best possible deal for passengers, and to deliver on journey time, frequency and capacity improvements that passengers would like to see, First Great Western would like the train doors to be closed by the driver – who is the only person on-board with a full and clear view of all of the doors through in-cab CCTV monitors.

"However, the company has promised that a safety competent train manager will be rostered to work on each train.  

"Following in-service trials last year, First Great Western would also like to provide an at seat food and drink service, with a full operational kitchen, rather than customers needing to leave their seats and belongings to walk through the train to buy  items from a buffet.

"Earlier this week further talks took place between First Great Western and the RMT and progress was made; but unfortunately not enough progress for the RMT to feel able to call off their strike action."

First Great Western managing director Mark Hopwood said: "We just want to make sure our services give the best possible deal for our passengers. These brand new trains have been designed to deliver more seats, and faster, more frequent journeys - but we can't deliver those if they are operated in the same way as the trains we run today, which were built in the 1970s.

"We have already made assurances about job security and commitments to increase the number of staff on board Super Express Trains, and I am happy to repeat those today.

"No-one working on board these trains will lose their jobs because of our proposals, in fact we need at least 100 more, not fewer staff on board to deliver our plans. We’ve also protected pay and conditions for those currently working in these roles.

“Yesterday we made a number of additional commitments that we believe meet the concerns of the RMT, while still allowing us to deliver the improvements our customers want to see. While it is a shame that the RMT were not able accept these proposals, we continue to believe a negotiated solution to these proposals is possible, and are keen to continue discussions as soon as we can."

First Great Western says anyone wishing to travel today should check before travelling at FGW.co.uk/strike

Cardiff Central Labour MP Jo Stevens has tabled a Commons motion expressing dismay at the actions of First Great Western and calling on the company to think again about staffing cuts.

The MP’s motion voices concern that, despite increases in passenger numbers, FGW is planning to use the introduction of the new Super Express Trains to abolish the guard or conductor on these services and weaken the protection for passengers.

Meanwhile, coach operator National Express is adding thousands of seats to its network during the strike. Visit www.nationalexpress.com or call 0871 781 8181.

The firm said coaches in areas affected by the strike, including Swindon, were filling up fast and extra seats were being added to cater to demand. National Express's frequent daily services include the airports of Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton and Stansted.

London Underground is at a standstill today as thousands of workers "solidly" supported a strike, causing travel chaos across the capital.

Commuters packed on to buses or walked to work in bright sunshine, with Tube services set to be disrupted until tomorrow morning.

Business groups said the strike will cost the capital's economy tens of millions of pounds. The Government and London mayor Boris Johnson condemned the action but unions said LU was to blame.

Picket lines were mounted outside Tube stations by members of four trade unions involved in the action in a row over the new all-night Tubes, due to start in mid-September.

LU's boss warned that the strike will cause "big disruption" and branded it "totally unnecessary". Managing director Mike Brown said in a message to passengers that the company had "strained every muscle" to put together a "remarkably fair" pay offer for the introduction of the new services.