RAIL users will face fresh misery today because of a 24-hour strike by conductors.

Arriva Trains Northern said 75 per cent of its network would be covered, despite the walkout by members of the Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) union in a long-running dispute over pay.

But the union said the company was talking "rubbish" and predicted that only one in four trains would run.

The RMT has staged a number of walkouts in the past few months and is planning more after rejecting a four per cent pay offer.

The managing director of Arriva Trains Northern, Ray Price, called on the union to re-ballot its members and warned that conductors would lose £2,500 each if they joined all the strikes.

"If Arriva Trains Northern gave in to unrealistic demands the costs would be reflected in the new rail franchises and would mean there was less money to invest in the services that are needed for the North of England," he said.

The RMT's annual conference in Southport yesterday backed the pay campaign.

General secretary Bob Crow said Arriva had awarded a pay rise of 18 per cent to train drivers, improved their conditions and holidays, but expected other staff to accept a worse deal.

"Throughout this dispute the company has made matters worse by vindictively stopping overtime and rest-day working and threatening our reps with the sack for daring to speak to the Press.

"The time has come for Arriva to understand that it can end this dispute by getting around the table with us and hammering out a fair pay deal."