A SERIES of planned strikes by railway workers in a long-running dispute over jobs, pay and conditions has been suspended.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) had been due to stage 24-hour walkouts on Saturday and next Monday and Wednesday.

The operators affected included many operating throughout York and North Yorkshire.

Now, the RMT said it has secured 'unconditional' talks on Network Rail and the promise of a pay offer from the train operating companies.

The union said the dispute remains 'very much live' and it is continuing its re-ballot of members to secure a fresh mandate for action with the result due on 15 November.

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RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “The threat of strike action and our strongly supported industrial campaign has made the rail employers see sense.

“We have always wanted to secure a negotiated settlement and that is what we will continue to push for in this next phase of intensive talks.

“Our priority is our members, and we are working towards securing a deal on job security, a decent pay rise and good working conditions.

“Our re-ballot remains live and if we have to take strike action during the next six months to secure a deal, we will.”

But TransPennine Express said: “Whilst we are pleased the strike action by RMT has been suspended, the very late notice of the suspension means we will have to continue to run amended timetables on Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday (5, 6, 7 and 8 November).

"On Saturday and Monday we will only operate services between Huddersfield and York, and we continue to ask customers to plan ahead carefully and to only travel if journeys are absolutely essential on these dates."

“We are now working on the timetable for Wednesday 9 November and will provide details of the services we will be able to operate as soon as possible.”

Northern said its much reduced service strike timetable would still run on Saturday and Monday 'as the reintroduction of a timetable is complex and can take several days to do.'

It added:“We continue to advise customers not travel on these days. We are working up a plan to run a fuller service on Wednesday."