Gazette reporter Alex Ross travelled with the rail passengers on Monday from Yate station to Bristol Parkway to experience the conditions they are protesting against.

"HOLD your breath," one commuter jokes as around 60 people board the two carriage 8.15am service to Bristol.

Inside, with hardly a seat to spare, passengers shuffle through the carriages for a space to stand.

Squeezed in, they watch the doors close while holding their fake strike tickets in one hand.

Steve Jeal, of Yate, stands in a baggage area. He has been using the service for five years to get from Yate to Bristol Parkway.

"You never know what time the train will get in or how many carriages will come along," he said.

"Usually it is like this, overcrowded. I'm just glad my journey is only 10 minutes.

"It would be nice if they laid on more trains and were punctual. It is what we should be paying for."

Ben Grimes is lucky enough to get a seat. He got on at Gloucester and is on his way to Bath.

His monthly rail pass went up £5 from £59 to £64.

He said: "I can't think of a time the train has been on time, I'm always late for work.

"Luckily my boss gets the train too, so he understands. If he didn't, I'd probably be out of my job by now.

"I've seen the trains so overcrowded a girl once fainted."

Luckily, it isn't that bad this morning.

A ticket inspector walks down the train. He simply blanks people who pull out a strike ticket.

"Thought that might happen," Yate's protest organiser David Youell said. "Have to see what happens at Parkway now."

But the story is different at Bristol Parkway.

At the ticket barriers, two members of staff and the station manager stand checking tickets. People without tickets are directed to buy one.

Luke Harris, of Yate, said: "I thought they could at least have given us one day off considering the service we have had to put up with."

Waiting to return back to Yate, the 8.52am Yate-bound train is delayed while a train to Cardiff, used by many passengers from Yate, is 15 minutes late because of a track circuit failure.

Meanwhile the station's information screen is switched off because of a technical fault'. No wonder passengers are upset.