COMMUTERS will be hit by the latest two-day rail strike by train staff starting on Friday.

Arriva Trains Northern, which runs a service across East Lancashire from Blackpool to Yorkshire, said it regretted that the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) had not withdrawn its strikes for March 1 and 2 -- the third in a series as part of a pay dispute.

Many of Arriva's trains will be cancelled, including the East Lancashire service, although the company said it would be able to increase the overall number of services running compared with previous strikes.

Around 700 train services and 500 bus services will be operated over the two-day dispute -- nearly 40 per cent of a normal running services.

The strike centres on a pay dispute between the union and the company. The RMT is demanding a 9.7 per cent basic pay increase for conductors. The company has offered three per cent plus five per cent productivity -- the same agreed with train drivers -- which has been rejected.

Station and retail staff, represented by the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) and RMT will also strike over pay.

For information on Arriva services running call 0870 602 3322 or National Rail Enquiries on 08457 484950.