RAIL passengers on Northern services - which include the York to Harrogate and York to Bradford routes - are being warned of greatly reduced services tomorrow because of a strike by members of the RMT union.

The company says that services will generally not start before 7am and will wind down between 5pm and 7pm, and those trains which do run will be extremely busy.

"Please give yourself extra time to travel and consider whether your journey is necessary," said a spokesman.

On the York to Harrogate line, there will be one train leaving York at 6.49am, with the next not departing until 9.11 and then an hourly service at that time through the day until teatime, with the last train leaving York at 6.05pm. The last train back from Harrogate leaves at 6.06pm.

On the York to Bradford route, the first train leaves York at 6.20 am and the last train is at 4.27pm, with the last train back from Bradford at 6.04pm.

The 24-hour strike relates to plans by York-based Northern to introduce 98 new trains towards the end of 2018 that will allow drivers rather than guards to control doors and have other duties.

The RMT says guards are needed to protect passenger safety and act in emergencies such as derailments, and provide assistance to disabled passengers.The dispute is similar to the one which has wreaked havoc on the Southern network.

Mick Cash, RMT general secretary, has said that Northern bosses has failed to guarantee guards would be kept on trains.

A Northern spokesman has said that the strike action was a ‘shame’ as its ‘modernisation proposals’ were still in the early stages, adding that its aim was to reach a constructive resolution and urging the RMT to continue talks which it had already started.

For more information onn services, go to www.northernrailway.co.uk/industrial-action