Union warns train strikes may continue for months

Train strikes could continue for months more the boss of Britain's largest rail union has warned.

Mick Lynch said the RMT union, which began its latest walkouts on Tuesday, had a mandate to take action up until May, and could "go further".

People returning to work after the Christmas break have been urged to avoid travelling by rail this week because of strikes running to Saturday.

The action is over pay and conditions, but one party said a deal was close.

Mr Lynch apologised for the action "dragging on" but accused the government of "doing nothing" about the dispute.

He warned if there was no deal, then workers would continue to strike.

"We've got a mandate that runs through to May this year, and if we have to go further, that's what we'll need to do," he warned.

However, Network Rail, which owns and maintains the railways, claimed a deal was "within touching distance".

Boss Tim Shoveller urged the union to "sit down with us" and revisit the deal made before Christmas so it could "make clarifications" where elements of the deal had been "misunderstood".

This week's walkouts are the latest in a series of strikes across the rail network that have caused major disruption.

Some 40,000 RMT members employed by Network Rail and 14 train operators are holding two 48-hour strikes - on 3-4 and 6-7 January - after they rejected offers in a dispute over pay, job security and working conditions.

Train drivers in the Aslef union are striking at 15 rail companies on 5 January in a dispute over pay.

Services across England, Scotland and Wales are affected by the strikes. Network Rail said just 20% of services were running on Tuesday.

Trains that do run will start later and finish much earlier than usual, with services typically running between 7:30am and 6.30pm on strike days.