RAIL passengers in Warrington are being hit by strikes this morning which is severely disrupting trains to and from the town.

Northern rail will run just forty per cent of its normal service, with very few trains before 7am or after 7pm.

Drivers have been warned the roads will be busy as more people travel to work by car. Trains across the network are expected to be very crowded.

There will be just one Northern train an hour from Warrington Central to Manchester Oxford Road, with the first train leaving at 8.02am.

There will be no Northern trains between Warrington and Liverpool but services operated by East Midlands and TransPennine Express will still be running to Liverpool and Manchester.

No trains will stop at either Sankey or Glazebrook stations today. But there is a limited service at Padgate.

The Arriva service from Bank Quay to Manchester is not affected by the action

The strike has been called by the RMT union in opposition to plans to bring in more trains operated by drivers only.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: "RMT's action on Arriva Rail North this morning is absolutely rock solid and determined as our members ‎fight for passenger safety and the retention of the guard on the Northern Rail services.

"Our pickets are out across the franchise and the response has been fantastic.

"Northern should listen to their staff, listen to the public and recognise that there is no case whatsoever for axing the guard from their trains.

"This action could have been avoided if Northern hadn't back pedalled from earlier pledges to retain the guard. It is now down to the company to ‎get that pledge back on the table and engage with the union in talks over a safe and sustainable future built around the guarantee of a guard on the trains."

Richard Allan, deputy managing director at Northern, said: “We have focused our planning efforts on maintaining a train service on our busier routes between 7am and 7pm, and are looking to provide replacement bus services on some routes where trains won’t run.

“We are acutely aware of the important role that Northern plays in keeping the north of England moving, would ask for your patience on Monday, and ask all our customers to individually take time to consider whether your journey is necessary and if it is, please plan carefully.”

These trains are running:

Warrington Central to Manchester Oxford Road – trains at 8.02am, 9.02am, 10.02am, 11.02am, 12.02pm, 1.02pm, 2.02pm, 3.02pm, 4.02pm, 4.24pm, 5.24pm, 6.24pm.

Manchester Oxford Road to Warrington Central – trains at 7.15am, 8.15am, 9.15am, 10.15am, 11.15am, 12.15pm, 1.15pm, 2.15pm, 3.15pm, 3.44pm, 4.44pm, 5.44pm.

Further update here.

For more information visit northernrailway.co.uk/industrial-action.