RAIL users were today bracing themselves for more strike misery -- amid claims that the dispute between unions and train operators is damaging the local economy.

The TransPennine Express Service is set to be cancelled tomorrow and Wednesday for the second 48-hour period in two weeks.

The RMT and Arriva Trains Northern were today locked in talks in London, but union officials said the strike over conductors' pay would go ahead, because the two parties were miles apart in negotiations.

An RMT spokesman also warned that there would be many more strikes in the coming months if the dispute continued.

The train is East Lancashire's only express service and calls hourly through Preston, Blackburn, Accrington and Burnley on to Leeds, and brings hundreds of shoppers and commuters daily to the region.

Michael Damms, the chief executive of the East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, said the dispute was hindering local businesses, by both preventing shoppers travelling and employees getting to work.

He claimed that the it was a 'nonsense' the dispute had not yet been resolved and called for a third-person party to intervene to broker an agreement.

"It's commercial suicide because there are so many alternatives to rail travel," said Mr Damms.

"There is no excuse for the strikes, particularly when there is concern about the railway industry at the moment. Both parties should take more responsibility."

Since the previous strike action on January 24 and 25, RMT representatives have met Arriva bosses several times, but seem no nearer a reconciliation.

The RMT wants a basic salary of £19,000 for conductors, nearly £3,000 more than Arriva's offer of a 3.5 percent rise.

Conductors feel aggrieved because train drivers will receive an 18 percent rise on April 1, taking their salary from £23,000 to £28,000.

Arriva said this move was to appease their drivers' dissatisfaction that other train companies paid more.

But a spokesman for the RMT claimed Arriva had concentrated too much on the drivers to the neglect of conductors.

He added: "Talks since the strikes have been more friendly and cordial, but there has been no meeting of minds. We are bitterly disappointed that's the state of affairs.

"There is no way we can concede any more than we have done and they have been totally unreasonable.

"We have 94 percent of our members voting for industrial action and we have got to act on that.

"It's appalling for passengers.

"We have to try and disrupt the service, it doesn't come easy to us, but we feel we have to do it."