THE prospect of a breakthrough in a long-running rail dispute looked remote last night.

Stan Herschel, regional organiser with the Rail Maritime and Transport union, said that conductors working for Arriva Trains Northern were in for a long haul.

The conductors have staged a series of strikes in recent months in their battle for improved pay.

No new talks are planned and, unless a solution is found to end the dispute, it could continue at least until the Arriva franchise runs out, in February.

Arriva has offered its conductors a three per cent pay rise, plus a further five per cent from suggested productivity gains. It has rejected demands for a rise of up to 15 per cent.