TRANSPORT Secretary Stephen Byers last night condemned unions over plans to escalate their strikes on Arriva Trains Northern services.
A further two-day strike has been announced by the Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) workers union for March 1 and 2, with the threat of a further 11 months of action.
It follows a second 48-hour walkout by conductors which ended yesterday.
Last night, Mr Byers, MP for North Tyneside, said he understood commuters' frustration and anger at the industrial action sparked by a dispute over pay.
''I don't think threats are the right way of reaching a conclusion to the dispute,'' he said.
He backed the Government's policy of not intervening in the increasing wave of rail disputes across the country, saying that arbitration was the best route for them to be resolved.
He said: ''Arbitration is about the justice of the case. Strike action is about the strength of the unions.''
Meanwhile, hopes of resolving a dispute with South West Trains rose when the RMT union officials said they were prepared to hold new talks.
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