LIVE: Strike latest from across the region

5.20pm City of York Council says seven York schools stayed fully open today, 19 were partially closed and 39 were fully closed.

4.15pm Yorkshire Ambulance Service is asking residents only to call 999 in an emergency as the national strikes puts pressure on the service.

David Whiting, chief executive, says: “We have taken a number of steps to ensure we keep the level of disruption to patient care to a minimum while some staff are taking part in the national industrial action.

“However, to help us as much as possible I would urge members of the public only to call 999 for an ambulance in an emergency when it is obvious that someone has a serious or life-threatening illness or injury.”

He advises anyone requiring advice or treatment for a non-emergency situation or minor ailment treats themselves or visits a local pharmacist, GP surgery or walk-in centre.

“Our staff and volunteers are working extremely hard to ensure we are able to provide emergency medical assistance for local people who call upon us for help. I would also like to thank members of the public for their patience and would ask for their continued support and understanding throughout the day,” he says.

The trust has cancelled journeys with its non-emergency Patient Transport Service for patients due to attend routine appointments at hospital clinics over the weekend, but the service is operating for patients with urgent medical needs such as essential renal and oncology treatments.

4pm York's Green Party and the University of York Green Party have supported and taken part in today's industrial action in the city. Green councillor Dave Taylor, who represents the Fishergate ward on City of York Council, said: "With local cuts and the privatisation of our adult social care service, we are going to face real problems of poverty for older people."

3.47pm Fears that school closures caused by the strikes would affect parents employed in the private sector in York haven’t been as serious as first thought, said Tiggy Clifford, employment partner for law firm Denison Till.

She said: “Our clients based in the York area seem to be managing the impact of the strike well with a high level of turnout amongst staff, showing a good level of employee engagement in the local business community.”

3.20pm John Tomsett, headteacher of Huntington School, which is partially closed by the action, tells Sky News that he believes there will be parents unhappy at the strike but that people understand why it is happening. He says the action is not just about pensions but about the ‘bigger picture,’ for example the Budget cuts that the school is having to deal with.

1.55pm York Hospital says it is "business as usual" and the number of staff on strike is as expected. Some routine appointments have been changed and the GP drop-in X-ray clinic has been cancelled for today, but no emergency procedures have been affected.

1.50pm North Yorkshire County Council says 161 schools are fully closed today, with 61 partially closed and 151 remaining open. The authority says a number of alternative arrangements are being made for users of adult social care and learning disabilities in parts of Scarborough, Selby and Richmondshire. “Users will be provided with alternative activities or locations, or will be supported at home,” it says.

1.05pm The GMB union has hit back at claims by Communities and Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles that a pension deal for local government workers is on the table. Its national secretary Brian Strutton said: "Mr Pickles hasn't even met the local government unions. I can categorically confirm no negotiations are taking place. That's why we are on strike and calling for negotiations to take place urgently and seriously."

12.46pm David Cameron has claimed the strike "looks like something of a damp squib", claiming reports say 40 per cent of schools are open and less than a third of the Civil Service is on strike. Meanwhile, Scotland Yard says two protesters have been arrested after a female police support officer was assaulted during clashes in London.

12.07pm Today's strike action is being debated at Prime Minister's Question Time in the House of Commons. David Cameron says it's wrong to strike "while negotiations are going on". Ed Miliband says it's wrong to "dehumanise the cleaner, the dinner lady, the cook" and says the Prime Minister is "privately delighted" by the strike action. Who do you agree with? Let us know.

12.01pm Hundreds of striking workers are setting off on a demonstration through York city centre. Members of various unions have gathered at Clifford's Tower and are marching to York Minster. Are you taking part? Send us your thoughts and pictures.

11.51am Austen Pickles, owner of retailer Buxton Pickles, which owns the Jaeger, Next, Hobbs and Whistles brands, has reacted furiously to today’s strike action. He says: "The threat of strike action over generous pension schemes has left me fuming. Why? Because I have watched my team voluntarily agree to a pay-cut and a reduction in hours in 2009 to help see us through the recession.

"I understand times are worrying and that people are facing losing privileges which were once taken for granted. But it’s jobs, basic livelihoods that we should be thinking about.”

11.25am Gary Williamson, chief executive of Leeds, York & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce says he doesn’t believe today’s strike will advance the arguments of public sector workers and unions in relation to pensions or help to solve the huge challenges faced in the current economic climate.

He says: “We recognise that people in our region are being squeezed with the rising cost of living and the fear of unemployment in many sectors. However, this action will only have the effect of entrenching positions and will hurt businesses that have to cover for absent parents just at a time when they need to be at their most productive in the run up the Christmas.”

11.09am City of York Council says only six recycling rounds are out working today, instead of the usual 10 rounds. “Crews will complete all scheduled work before doing what they can on the other rounds,” says a spokeswoman. “Crews will not complete all of today’s scheduled work but will make a big impression on it.”

She says both commercial waste rounds were out at 5am this morning, meaning waste in the city centre will be cleared.

“There are six refuse rounds out working today from the usual 14 rounds. Crews are focussing on medical and clinical collections and clearing waste from terraced areas, most of which is bagged refuse.”

11.04am East Yorkshire Motor Services ask bus passengers in York to be patient over the next few hours. They say the strike-demo through York city centre could cause some delays.

10.58am A spokesman for Selby District Council said: “This is a national dispute over pensions, and whilst some of our staff are members of the unions involved the impact for us has been minimal.

“None of our services are adversely affected by today’s national strike action. We have seen limited impact. Services delivered by others on our behalf, such as recycling and waste collections and leisure services, have also been operating as normal.”

10.25am - Hundreds of people from various unions will be marching through York from noon today, from Clifford's Tower to the Minster. Are you taking part? Leave your thoughts on the comment section below.

10.02am - York Explore (York Central Library), is open 9am to 1pm only, and the cafe is shut, according to the library service's twitter feed.

9.45am - At York Hospital, Unison steward and cleaner Shane Sayner says hundreds of staff, including some nurses, have joined the strike.

He says: "We have had a lot of support from the public - a lot of people are waving and beeping their horns."

9.40am: - At the Job Centre, Monkgate, Claire-Louise Harrison the PCS branch secretary for North Yorkshire DWP says that of about 150 people who normally work in the benefits office and jobs centre in Monkgate only about 30 have come in to work including managers.

She says: "The public have been very supportive, tooting horns and a lot of people have been stopping to have a chat."

9.20am: - Kerry Gregory, Unison steward on the picket line outide City of York Council’s education department at Mill House, says only two members of staff had come in through the doors by 9.10am. She says “the public have been very supportive. We have had no negative reaction, it’s all been positive.”

8.40am: - Imphal Barracks: Steve Burton, branch treasurer of the PCS Union standing on the picket line outside the Fulford Road baracks in York says more than half the 400 plus civilian workers at the barracks are on strike.

He says: "We are getting very positive reaction from motorists going past - this is the most support we have received during any strike in recent years."

8.10am: - York Police Station: John MacFall branch secretary for UNISON at North Yorkshire Police says hardly any civilian staff have gone into work, emergency calls will be answered with police officers drafted in to work in the control room, but non-emergencies will not be dealt with today. Cars going past the police station are tooting their horns in support.

Mr MacFall says the vast majority of more than 1,000 civilian staff working for North Yorkshire Police will be striking today.

8.00am: - Thousands of people across our region are taking part in the public sector strikes today, on one of Britain's biggest days of industrial action in years. In York, 28 primary school and seven secondary schools are closed entirely, and many more services also affected. Many other schools are partially closed.

Keep visiting this page throughout the day, for the latest updates.