Rail passengers in the north of England face travel chaos on Friday as a fresh strike over pay is held in a long-running dispute by conductors at Arriva Trains.

The company says it will run 55% of its 1,400 services across northern England despite the 48-hour walkout by members of the Rail Maritime Transport (RMT) union.

The RMT wants a pay rise that comes near to the one awarded to Arriva train drivers, who were given an 18% pay rise plus pension improvements.

Arriva has offered a 3% pay rise to RMT conductors plus 5% based on productivity.

'Victorian practices'

Arriva managing director Ray Price said: "It appears that the RMT is out of touch with its membership as all the indications we have received suggest that our conductors want to get back to work and see the dispute resolved."

But the union denied the claim and predicted solid support for the strike, the latest in a series of walkouts since the start of the year.

An RMT spokesman said: "If anything we have underestimated the strength of feeling against the company's crude attempt to re-introduce Victorian working practices."

Arriva said it was "particularly frustrating" that the strike was being held at the start of a Bank Holiday weekend.