Rail passengers in the North of England are being advised to check before they travel on New Year's Eve due to strike action in the region.

Some services will be disrupted again as the long-running pay dispute between the Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) union and Arriva Trains Northern continues.

Arriva says 80% of its network will be covered but the RMT disputes these figures.

The year-long dispute is over levels of pay and conditions for train conductors, most of whom are members of the union.

Scottish services

A spokesman for the train company said: "Arriva Trains Northern will operate a robust service of trains and buses across our network."

Stan Herschel, regional organiser for the RMT union, said: "Our action is still going ahead, and we would ask the public to continue giving us their support."

Meanwhile, train operator GNER said its services to and from Scotland would be busier on Tuesday as people headed north for Hogmanay.

The company is providing extra trains, but has warned that if people do not have an advance ticket, they may not get a seat.

On Monday GNER train services between Darlington and Northallerton were disrupted due to flooding in the Eryholme area.

Four offers

Short notice alterations and delays of up to 40 minutes were experienced by passengers, although only south-bound services were affected.

The 24-hour stoppage by Arriva conductors follows similar actions throughout the year, the latest being on Christmas Eve.

The union has been campaigning to increase the pay of a conductor from what it says is a basic of �15,500, to more than �17,000.

Arriva says it has made four separate offers to the conductors since the dispute began in January 2002.