Central Trains' strikes on 27 December and 2 January are off

The RMT union has endorsed an offer to give all conductors a day's leave for each of the "substitute bank holidays" of December 27 and January 2.

Central Trains conductors had planned to strike on those days.

A separate strike by Virgin Cross Country train managers over pay is still set to start on 1 January 2006, with walk-outs on successive Sundays.

Double time

The RMT said strike action by more than 500 conductors was cancelled after Central Trains "tabled an offer to improve compensation for bank holiday working".

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: "Thanks to our members' overwhelming mandate for strike action, common sense has prevailed, and our members should be proud of their united stand.

"Central Trains has recognised our grievance over compensation for working bank holidays when Christmas and New Year fall at weekends.

Virgin Cross Country passengers could face disruption every Sunday

"Our members will also receive double time for working on New Year's Day itself, and the company has agreed to review Sunday working arrangements that have caused much resentment.

"Our negotiating committee recommended unanimously that the offer be accepted and the RMT executive has today formally lifted the threat of strike action."

In a separate dispute, train managers - more senior guards - on Virgin Cross Country (VXC) services are still set to walk out every Sunday from 1 January in a dispute over Sunday payments.

The strike is set to affect long-distance services and as a result the company has announced "modified" train times.

The RMT claims the extra money paid for Sundays, compared to weekday working, has been eroded in recent years.

VXC runs long-distance services from a Birmingham hub to Scotland, Cornwall, Bristol, the south coast, Reading, Manchester, Newcastle, Derbyshire and Yorkshire.

Chris Gibb, VXC managing director, said: "We have made arrangements to staff trains in the event of industrial action by RMT members and will maintain reliable services.

"The RMT's decision is disappointing because the majority of train managers did not vote for such action, but we are not prepared to give way on an issue on which there was clear agreement between the company and the union, before the RMT decided not to honour that agreement."