Passengers who use South West Trains services face fresh misery after a union called another 48-hour strike for later this month.

The Rail Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) announced a new walk-out at the company, which has been hit by a series of stoppages in the past week in a bitter row over pay and disciplinary procedures.

The strike will take place on January 24 and 25.

Action yesterday caused severe disruption to SWT services across the South-East, including trains from Brighton to Reading via Chichester.

The RMT executive decided on the new strike after SWT imposed a 7.6 per cent pay increase in a bid to end the deadlock.

The dispute is costing the company more than £1 million a day in lost revenue.

RMT acting general secretary Vernon Hince attacked SWT over the pay rise. He said: "It is an insult to the union and its members."

The two sides have met several times over the past week including 16 hours over the weekend, but today there appeared to be no prospect of a resumption of talks.

Transport Secretary Stephen Byers, who returned to his desk this week after a New Year break in India, has refused to intervene.