Transport bosses are warning of major disruption this week as another wave of strike action hits the railways this week.

Industrial action by the members of the RMT Union will take place tomorrow, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday this week.

More strikes are placed next week and through into the New Year.

A spokesman for Transport for Greater Manchester said: " On these dates, customers should expect timetables and operating hours to be significantly affected."

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch has written to Rishi Sunak saying a meeting between the two men was now the best prospect of making any progress.

Mr Lynch said that from press reports, Transport Secretary Mark Harper’s appearance at the Transport Committee this week and from what he has been directly told by the Rail Delivery Group’s negotiators, it was clear that No 10 is “directing the mandate for the rail companies and has torpedoed the talks”.

He wrote: “There is no reason why this dispute could not be settled in the same way that RMT has resolved disputes in Scotland and Wales.

“Where the Scottish and Welsh governments have had responsibility for mandates, pay settlements for 2022 have been agreed and neither of these settlements have been conditional on cutting staffing, and eroding safety, security and accessibility.

“It is already a national scandal that your government has been paying the train operating companies not to settle the dispute, indemnifying them to the tune of £300 million so that they have no incentive to reach a resolution.

“It’s not clear to me why, on top of this, your government has now torpedoed the negotiations, but I now believe that a meeting with yourself represents the best prospect of any renewed progress.

“We have a duty to explore every possible option for settling this dispute and I’m willing to do my part. I hope you will agree to meet me.”

A Government spokesperson said: “It’s incredibly disappointing that, despite a new and improved deal offering job security and a fair pay rise, the RMT continues to hold Christmas hostage with more damaging strikes.

“The Government has played its part by facilitating a fair and decent offer and the RMT and its members should vote this deal through and end this harmful disruption.”

Industrial action is set to impact the rail network on the following dates:

Tuesday 13 December 2022 (RMT Union)

Wednesday 14 December 2022 (RMT Union)

Friday 16 December 2022 (RMT Union)

Saturday 17 December 2022 (RMT Union)

Saturday 24 December from 6pm (RMT Union affecting Network Rail)

Sunday 25 December (RMT Union affecting Network Rail)

Monday 26 December (RMT Union affecting Network Rail)

Tuesday 27 December until 5.59am (RMT Union affecting Network Rail)

Tuesday 3 January 2023 (RMT Union)

Wednesday 4 January 2023 (RMT Union)

Friday 6 January 2023 (RMT Union)

Saturday 7 January 2023 (RMT Union)

On these dates, customers should expect timetables and operating hours to be significantly affected.

Strikes will also impact rail journeys on the days before and after industrial action.

We strongly advise you to check your entire journey before you travel, both once the strike timetables are confirmed and on the day itself.

See below on how other modes of transport will be affected and how you can continue to travel during the strike days.