The
RMT
has
suspended
the
strikes
at
14
train
operators
in
England which
it
had
called
for
30
March
and
1
April.

The
move
came
last
night
after
the
Rail
Delivery
Group
had
tabled
a
new
offer
which
the
RMT
said
‘could
lead
to
a
resolution
to
resolve
the
current
national
rail
dispute’.

The
union
said
further
talks
will
now
be
held.
The
suspension
of
the
two
24-hour
strikes
has
followed
the
ending
of
the
RMT
dispute
with
Network
Rail,
after
its
members
had
voted
to
accept
a
new
offer.

The
possibility
of
a
settlement
has
been
welcomed
by
the
Rail
Delivery
Group
and
the
Department
for
Transport.

The
DfT
said:
‘This
marks
a
positive
step
and
takes
us
closer
to
resolving
this
dispute.

‘After
Network
Rail
employees
overwhelmingly
voted
to
accept
a
similar
pay
offer
earlier
this
week,
we’re
once
again
asking
the
RMT
executive
to
do
the
right
thing
and
put
this
fair
and
reasonable
offer
to
its
members,
giving
them
the
pay
rise
they
deserve
and
helping
us
end
this
dispute.’

The
RDG
added:
‘We
are
now
jointly
focused
on
working
constructively
towards
a
settlement
to
this
dispute,
which
will
mean
we
can
do
what
we
have
always
wanted
to
do
–
give
our
people
a
pay
rise
and
help
secure
the
long-term
future
of
the
railway
with
rewarding
careers
for
all
those
who
work
on
it.’