via Facebook

The rail dispute between First Great Western and the RMT union has drawn plenty of comments on the BBC's Facebook pages.

• Ann Heaps comments: The A30/303 will be hell today & tomorrow

• Dave Post jokes: Its a dam pain... I've got to leave work early..

• Lianne Rowe posts: I empathise with the rail strike action. How can it even be on the cards that there will be no guards on certain trains? What a stupid and ill-conceived notion! So, if someone was taken ill or there was trouble; who would deal with it? The train driver? Yeah, that would work! Not. What if the train driver was ill? I hope it is resolved soon with an intelligent outcome.

• Ian Armstrong complains: I just wish I could strike whenever I am not happy at work !

David Bailey
BBC News

It's incredibly quiet here at Gloucester station. Services seem to be running regularly to Bristol, Cardiff and Nottingham, but there are only a handful of passengers here.

The taxi rank is seeing no business - "It's dead" a driver tells me. He has decided to wash his car in the sunshine while he waits for a customer.

James West tweets, external: On my way to London, journey plans for today utterly wrecked. Good, shows the #TubeStrike is working, then! Keep it up, @RMT, external #solidarity

Paddy barker tweets, external: There's a reason RMT are one of the most successful unions in the UK, they actually are willing to fight for workers rights

After the A34 was shut in both directions TVP Road Policing tweets, external: A34 north bound fire has been put out by Berkshire fire and rescue. Traffic is moving. It is slow near Beedon.

Image source, TVP

If you are looking for alternative transport to the trains you can keep up to date with all the latest traffic news on the BBC Travel website.

Matt Pengelly
Local Live

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union are manning pickets at stations across the country in their dispute with train company First Great Western.

The company has rejected the unions's concerns over staffing levels on new high-speed trains, but in Swansea branch secretary Owen Herbert said: "We have raised these concerns with the company for the past three years - and nothing has been done about addressing them.

"Industrial action was very much a last resort, but it was necessary as we take passengers' safety and welfare very seriously. There is no-one else to stand up for them on these issues."

Torquay Herald Express

First Great Western members of the Rail, Maritime Transport union have gone on strike over jobs and maintenance of new trains being brought into service, reports the Torquay Herald Express, external.

Image source, FGW

The strike action affects services between London and Wales and the West Country. FGW will be supplying a special revised service in light of the walkouts. Scheduled services between London Paddington and Plymouth, Penzance and Plymouth, Exeter St David's and Exmouth, Barnstaple and Paignton are being significantly affected.

It seems the First Great Western rail strike is having very different impacts depending on where you live in the country.

The scene at Chippenham station in Wiltshire this morning as commuters made an early start, compared with this carriage on the service between Bristol and London - captured by a FGW staff member.

Image source, FGW

BBC Travel

For those looking to avoid the rail strike, there are problems on one of the major arteries, the A34.

It is closed in both directions between Chievely and the Beedon Turn Off because of a vehicle fire.

David Bailey
BBC News

I've been touring a sunny Gloucestershire this morning, seeing how the rail strike is affecting the county. Here at Swindon it's pretty busy.

A limited but fairly regular service to London is running but those trains all appear to be on time. However if you're trying to head north to Cheltenham - forget it. A First Great Western staff member said there were only two departures all day. One happened earlier. The other won't be until nearly 19:00.

Gareth Rhys tweets, external: @FGW, external Made it to Bristol, train manager was chirpy as ever, on what be a really rubbish day. Thank you to all the staff that are working 2day

Greg Stickler tweets, external: @RMTunion, external strike not causing the expected issues for me travelling on @FGW, external from #Oxford to #Windsor. In fact it's better than usual!

Neil Gallacher
Correspondent, BBC South West

The news from Plymouth station this morning is definitely one of most passengers having stayed away altogether, rather than take advantage of the few First Great Western trains, external running.

The 05:00 red-eye service to London, I'm told, had five passengers boarding at Plymouth when it left for Paddington. Services up from Cornwall have been busier, according to platform staff, but I counted up as the 09:10 FGW train left Plymouth for Penzance and 75 passengers boarded an eight-carriage train. They could all have got into one of the carriages.

Passengers travelling to the Cornbury Music Festival in Oxfordshire have been warned there will be a limited service, external from Oxford/Paddington and Worcester to Charlbury on Friday.

Image source, AP

The three-day event will feature Tom Jones, Lulu and Razorlight.

Western Daily Press

Rail workers at First Great Western were said to be "solidly" supporting a 48-hour strike which has hit services from London to South Wales and the West Country, says the Western Daily Press, external.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union walked out last night in a row over jobs and buffet facilities on new trains. Picket lines were mounted at stations across FGW routes.

If you've had a rough morning, just imagine being in charge of the First Great Western Twitter feed, external, which has come under fire during today's strike.

• Ben Furnival tweets, external: So annoying I'll miss my meeting in Worle tomorrow as train has been put back 4 hrs. £120 ticket and nothing I can do

• FGW replies: Sorry... You will be able to get a full refund on your tickets - Jess

• Elizabeth Mistry tweets, external: just a note to say #thankyou for such a prompt twitter response. 10/10 for customer service, especially on such a difficult day.

• FGW says: That's really lovely of you to say, thank you! Jess

Reading East MP Rob Wilson tweets, external: Great work from staff @fgw, external - keeping the trains running today. No problem so far with travel. @getreading, external@BBCBerkshire, external

Catharine Doherty tweets, external: @fgw, external #trainstrike #Bristol parkway #joke #onlytryingtogettowork not convinced I'll get on the next train.....

Image source, Catharine Doherty

Cricket fan Ian Dawnay is on his way to watch day two of the Ashes match at Cardiff and has tweeted this picture, external of the 08:41 from Bristol Parkway.

He said: Thanks @FGW overpriced tickets to stand like cattle all because you won't listen to your staff. #railstrike #Ashes

Image source, Ian Dawnay

The train company responds: Sorry for this, but this service was always going to be busy because of the cricket. Jess

BBC Travel

High-speed First Great Western services between London, the West of England and Wales have been halved during the industrial action, which began at 18:30 yesterday.

A spokesman for FGW said in some areas more than 90% of normal services were running, while other routes had been cancelled completely.

The Daily Telegraph

Taxi firm Uber has been criticised for increasing its prices by almost 300%, external to cash in on the traffic chaos caused by a Tube strike.

Matt Pengelly
Local Live

First Great Western has rejected RMT claims that "inadequately trained" managers, external are running trains during the strike.

A FGW spokesman said: "Safety is our top priority and we would not operate a service without the correct number of safety competent people on board."

The company said it was pleased travellers had heeded their warnings and planned their journeys, external, with services between Reading and London running at about 50% usual capacity.