Bank Holiday trains strike suspended after new Network Rail pay offer

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union and Transport Salaried Staffs Association were due to walk out for 24 hours from 5pm on Monday after rejecting a proposed four-year pay deal.

The unions announced that the action was being suspended following the new offer, made during four days of talks at the conciliation service Acas.

However, a large amount of engineering work is planned for the holiday weekend in any case and this will have an impact on certain routes.

Train companies today revealed the services they hope to run following the strike suspension. They include:

• Virgin West Coast: Original timetabled services have been reinstated for Monday and Tuesday. Further information for passengers who have already requested refunds and made alternative travel arrangements will be released later.

• London Midland: The company will be running its planned services on all routes on both Monday and Tuesday.

• CrossCountry: All services will run as booked on Monday and Tuesday;

Rail companies had already started cancelling services next week and warned passengers not to travel.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: "Following the Acas talks, RMT has received a revised offer that enables us to suspend the planned industrial action while we consult in full with our Network Rail representatives."

Manuel Cortes, general secretary of the TSSA, said: "Our negotiating team at Acas has received a revised offer from Network Rail.

"As a result of this, they have suspended the planned industrial action, pending the outcome of a meeting of our workplace representatives next week."

Lawyers for Network Rail halted plans to take legal action against the TSSA in the light of developments.

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: "I am very pleased that the unions have made a decision to suspend their planned action.

"Passengers right across the country will welcome this news and the knowledge that the extensive disruption threatening the Bank Holiday and the return to work on Tuesday has been averted.

"We all welcome this news."