Rail stoppage looms for New Year

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Thousands of train passengers face travel disruption over the New Year holiday due to two planned 24-hour strikes at Central Trains.

Services were shut down on Christmas Eve when hundreds of conductors went on strike over rotas and holiday pay.

But a spokeswoman said the firm still hopes to run some services at New Year if possible.

The RMT union plans to hold two more 24-hour strikes for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

'Hugely disappointing'

Details of the service over the New Year will be published on 27 or 28 December.

Central Trains spokeswoman Rachel Webster said: "We are still open to talks with the RMT and of course if it is at all possible to reach an agreement with them.

Steve Banaghan, managing director for Central Trains, said: "This is hugely disappointing and all we can do now is look at what services it may be possible to run."

The areas most affected have been the East and West Midlands, although a number of Central Trains' services also run from Manchester to Norwich and Cleethorpes to Cardiff.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said the firm had "turned down the opportunity to put in place a plan that would have allowed services to run".

"We have made it clear that we remain available for talks to resolve both disputes, and that remains the case, and we can only hope that the company re-considers its position."

The company said it could not offer any more than the £236 it had already put forward to work on Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve.