RAIL passengers face fresh travel misery over the next few days because of new strikes by conductors in a long-running pay dispute.

Members of the Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) union on Arriva Trains Northern will walk out for 24-hours tomorrow and again on Saturday, disrupting services across Northern England at the start of the Bank Holiday weekend.

The union originally announced a 24-hour strike for Friday, but decided to change the date as a way of making the action more effective.

A union spokesman said workers had lost about £2,500 in pay since the dispute started earlier this year.

The stoppages will take the number of days lost through strikes by conductors to 18 since the action started.

Members of the RMT and the Transport Salaried Staffs Association employed as retail staff by Arriva Trains Northern will strike on Friday and Saturday in a separate row over pay.

Arriva said services will be similar to those provided on previous strike days, with more than 75 per cent of the network covered on Wednesday and Saturday.