Southwest Trains drivers are considering staging a four-day strike from 31 March because of dispute over pay and hours.

The company, which takes about 400,000 commuters into Waterloo station in London each weekday, was unable to persuade drivers who belong to union Alsef to accept a 4.5% pay deal which would have paid drivers £40,477 a year.

Aslef claimed yesterday that it had not officially announced strike action but told the rail operator it had secured 76% of members’ votes for a walkout.