Today's strike on Southern by the RMT is the 30th since the dispute over the role of conductors began.

You sent us your questions to put to the rail company, government and the RMT.

Read about the eight things you wanted to know .

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester Victoria is far quieter than normal during the RMT strikes over driver-operated trains.

Northern operates trains from Victoria to stations across northern England including Liverpool, Wigan, Blackburn and Newcastle.

Image source, AFP/Getty

Richard Westcott
Transport correspondent

Image source, PA

It's the South and the North today, but could this dispute keep spreading across England?

The government's made it clear that it wants an expansion of "driver-only-operated" trains and that puts it at loggerheads with the unions.

The Department for Transport talks about introducing them in the next two franchises about to be awarded, South Western and West Midlands.

The unions say it's a long-term ploy to get rid of all train guards and save money - they claim it puts passenger safety at risk.

But rail bosses argue it's about modernising the service, freeing up the second on-board person to deal with passengers rather than closing the train doors.

Handing all the safety jobs to the driver means you don't HAVE to have two people on every train before it can leave the station. That would shrink the power of the RMT, because more trains would be able to run if their guards went on strike in the future.

Chief executive of the Rail Delivery Group says there is "no threat to safety".

Merseyrail has announced there will be no trains operating on the network between 11:00 and 14:00.

Rail staff from Northern, Southern and Merseyrail are staging a 24-hour strike  in a dispute over the role of guards .

Martin Lewes
Reporter

 BBC Radio Cumbria:Views from the public on the rail strike

The RMT strike on Southern is the 30th since a row over the role of conductors began almost a year ago.

A spokesman for parent company Arriva Rail North said: "We will operate around 980 services, around 40% of our usual number of weekday services.

"Services will generally be winding down between 5pm and 7pm.

"Northern is doing everything it can to keep people on the move during the strike.

"The services we will provide are based on the availability and location of Northern employees who are trained conductors. 

"Wherever possible, we are also focusing services on our busiest routes into major towns and cities.

"We don’t expect services to be impacted on 14 March." 

A list of timetable changes can be found here., external

Northern Rail says the introduction of driver-operated trains will not put passengers at risk in its dispute with rail unions.

Members of the RMT union are curently staging a 24-hour strike on Northern, Southern and Merseyrail amid concerns that removing conductors from trains will compromise safety.

Northern Regional Director Liam Sumpter says an independent regulator has given assurances that driver-only trains are just as safe. 

Leaflets about how rail services are affected by industrial action today are being handed out at Merseyrail stations.

There are no services  on the Hunts Cross, Kirkby and Ellesmere Port lines, external .

A half hour service is operating on the Northern Line between Liverpool Central and Southport and Liverpool Central and Maghull but trains will not be calling a number of stations.

The Wirral Line is  operating a half hourly service between James Street and West Kirby and James Street and Hooton, with all services to Chester and Ellesmere Port terminating at Hooton.

An hourly service is running between James Street and New Brighton. 

Rail staff from Northern, Southern rail and Merseyrail  have walked out  in opposition to the introduction of driver-operated trains. 

The union taking strike action on Northern trains today, the RMT, says guards are trained to be able to help passengers in the event of trouble on a train, or a derailment.

Northern says new technology means guards aren't needed for jobs such as checking doors are clear and envisages conductors spending more time with passengers.

Speaking at Carlisle station this morning Craig Johnston from the union (pictured right) said: "These new trains will be configured so they can be driver-only operated or conventionally operate with a guard, which will mean there'll be a second person on every train.

"That's all we're asking for, a second person who's safety-qualified and operationally qualified to be able to assist an emergencies."

Paul O'Gorman
Reporter, BBC Radio Lancashire

Disruption to Northern rail services through Preston station as a consequence of today's strike action is said to be "minimal", according to BBC Radio Lancashire's Paul O'Gorman. 

The station, which serves national routes between Scotland and London as well as local lines, including Blackpool, Colne, Manchester and Liverpool, has seen a steady flow of passenger numbers this morning.

An automated message at Chorley station said trains are "delayed due to strike action" but other stations on the Northern network are reporting few issues.

Kay Crewdson
BBC Radio York

Industrial action by workers from the rail company Northern , means only 40% of their trains are running today. 

There are reduced services running from Selby to Leeds, York via Harrogate to Leeds, Scarborough to Hull, among many routes affected.

The RMT union's Micky Thompson says there are a number of reasons behind the strike:

I've also been speaking to Liam Sumpiter, the regional director of Northern.  

He says the strike action today is "extremely premature":

Claire Cottingham
BBC Live reporter

The RMT union, external has released this statement as its members take industrial action on the Southern network, as well as on Northern and Merseyrail. 

The Department for Transport says today's strikes are "disappointing" and "unnecessary" and it is urging the RMT union to return to talks with operators. 

All three strikes are due to end at midnight.

Staff from strike-hit Northern on hand to give advice at Leeds railway station this morning.

RMT general secretary, Mick Cash, says there is "rock solid" support for the 24-hour strike which has hit services on Northern Rail.

He said: "RMT's action on Arriva Rail North is absolutely rock solid as our members ‎fight for passenger safety and the retention of the guard on the Northern Rail services. Our pickets are out across the franchise and the response has been fantastic.  

"Arriva Rail North should listen to their staff, listen to the public and recognise that there is no case whatsoever for axing the guard from their trains. 

"This action could have been avoided if Arriva hadn't back-pedalled from earlier pledges to retain the guard. 

"It is now down to the company to ‎get that pledge back on the table and engage with the union in talks over a safe and sustainable future built around the guarantee of a guard on the trains."

Only 40% of Northern services are running, the company said.

The firm has also put on 300 replacement buses to offset effects of the industrial action , external .

As drivers refuse to cross picket lines at Merseyside railway stations, Merseyrail has apologised to passengers for disruption to their journeys.

Rail staff at Northern, Southern rail and Merseyrail walked out at 07:00 in opposition to the introduction of driver-operated trains.

Merseyrail's deputy managing director Andy Heath said secondary action by ASLEF drivers has resulted in a "much reduced service" than planned. 

Latest Merseyrail information and alternative travel options, external