RAIL users face a battle to get into work tomorrow as conductors operating East Lancashire's only express service go on strike.

Arriva Trains Northern has confirmed that all of the timetable for the York to Blackpool service will be cancelled tomorrow and on Friday as members of the RMT Union take industrial action to try and get a pay rise.

Arriva's service operates hourly and stops at Hebden Bridge, Accrington, Burnley, Blackburn and Preston.

Today, the area's other train operator, First North Western, said it would be trying to lay on extra carriages on its Blackpool North to Colne service to help people get to work.

The area's other train operator, First North Western, said it would be trying to lay on extra carriages on its Blackpool North to Colne local service to help people get to work.

Arriva Trains, which mainly runs services in the North and East of the country, has pledged to use management to keep some its services going.

But the popular trans-Pennine service is not one of those earmarked for a skeleton staff.

The 48-hour stoppage is one of two planned over the next month as the RMT union battles for conductors to be given the same rise as drivers.

According to the union, drivers received a rise of around 18 per cent plus benefits in December, while conductors got 3.5 per cent.

An RMT spokesman said: "With a 94 per cent vote in favour of industrial action, our members have committed themselves to a fair settlement.

"The RMT will not sit back and see others within the same company being treated far more favourably than themselves."

Arriva has said that conductors earn around £20,000 a year, including commission on ticket sales, rest day working and paid Sunday working, for a 42 hour week.

The pay rise would have taken salaries from a basic £15,500 to £16,763. A five per cent increase has been earmarked for productivity bonuses.

The RMT, it claimed, has demanded a £19,000 basic salary.

First North Western, whose staff at not striking, operates a service along part of the route used by the Arriva trans Pennine express.

It runs from Colne, stopping at every station to Blackpool North via Blackburn and Preston.

A spokesman said: "We will not be running extra trains, but we are trying to make extra carriages available to increase capacity on existing services."