Northern rail strike called off - but services still disrupted

This weekend's Northern rail strike action has been called off, but normal services will not resume.
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The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) called off Saturday's planned strike action after "substantial progress" was made, but Northern warned they would not be able to resume a full timetable this week.

About 700 services will run this Saturday, and full timetables will be introduced from Saturday, February 16.

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Members of the RMT have carried out 47 days of strike action over a long-running dispute about the role of guards on trains.

Northern services have run on a reduced timetables each Saturday since the beginning of December.

The RMT said they had called off planned strike action this Saturday after Northern offered a guarantee of a conductor on all trains for the duration of the current franchise.

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash thanked members of the public for their "extraordinary support".

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He said: “Today’s offer of a guarantee of a conductor on all services throughout the duration of the franchise, including the new fleet, is the substantial progress we have been pushing for and has allowed RMT’s executive to take the decision to suspend the current action and allow for further talks to now take place with all stakeholders around the operational details.”

David Brown, Managing Director, Northern said: “We warmly welcome RMT’s decision to suspend its strike action and recommence talks about what the future role of the conductor looks like.

"We have been very clear in these discussions that there will be a conductor on all our trains now and into the future.

"The suspension of the RMT strikes is good news for customers and businesses across the North."