YORK Central MP Rachael Maskell joined the picket line outside York Railway Station on the third day of the national rail strike.

She spoke with members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) who are protesting against management plans to cut costs and jobs to save money.

The Labour MP pledged to do all she could in Westminster to press the Government to get the parties round the table with a "decent offer", bring passengers back to the trains and prepare the railway network for the future.

And she said those who work on the railways deserve job security and decent pay and conditions.

"York’s importance on the railway network means that there are many residents and families relying on secure jobs and fair pay; whilst the public need a safe railway.

"This dispute could be ended by meaningful and willing co-operation on all sides.”

Other countries, such as Germany, already had plans to encourage passengers back onto the railways, but not the UK, she said.

"We should be building the railways up, not running them down," she said.

"We have got to get people out of their cars into trains - we have got a climate crisis."

Men and women on the picket line outside York Railway Station got regular support from passers-by and passing motorists including free breakfasts.

York and district branch secretary Tim Butler said his members were determined to continue their fight.

He said his members were fighting for passenger safety because of proposed changes to rail maintenance and train staffing as well as job security, and better pay and conditions.

Railways lines that branch away from the East Coast Mainline at York have been closed on all three strike days - those to Scarborough, Harrogate and Selby.

The other lines have much reduced services which are finishing earlier in the day than normal.

Nationally, the union has warned there are likely to be more strikes unless the current deadlock between union and management is broken.

It has yet to announce dates.

According to a poll carried out by Opinion for the union, fewer than one in five support cuts to staff on trains and stations.

Seven out of 10 respondents said rail workers should have a negotiated pay rise that takes into account the cost of living, and 59 per cent believe staff have the right to strike if negotiations fail.

Three out of five of those polled said the Government should intervene to ensure rail companies meet the workers' concerns.

As well as hundreds of people employed directly on the railways in and around York, thousands of jobs and households in the area depend indirectly on the railway industry.