THE RMT has cancelled three days of strikes which had been called on South Western Railway this week in the dispute over on-train staffing.

The walkouts, which would have coincided with Ascot week by affecting travel on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, were called off after progress at the conciliation service ACAS.

The union’s general secretary Mick Cash said: “RMT welcomes the fact that following joint talks with South Western Railway, under the auspices of ACAS, and subsequent correspondence, adequate progress has been made regarding the dispute over the role of the Guard and the extension of Driver Only Operation.

“We hope that the talks can continue in a constructive manner and an agreement can be reached.”‎

However, walkouts on Northern this week are set to go ahead today as well as on Thursday and Saturday.

Train services will be restricted mainly to 07.00-19.00, but some on Saturday will finish earlier. Some stations will have no train service at all, and Northern has warned that replacement buses will be ‘extremely busy’.