“RESILIENT” commuters are weathering the “dreadful” impact of ongoing railway industrial action, a federation chair has said.

RMT Union industrial action is rumbling on, with an impact on the rail network today and tomorrow.

Greater Anglia is not running any trains on its regional and branch lines on RMT strike days.

Only a very limited service is operating on some routes to and from London Liverpool Street.

Services will be reduced even more during Thursday’s Aslef strike.

Essex Rail Users Federation chairman Derek Monnery, from Manningtree, said: “Commuters are a very resilient group, especially these days now that working from home has become recognised.

“People will work from home if and when they can.

“Main line services are running, though very crowded.

“Some people may well go in later to miss the crush.

“The people who have to attend work will no doubt be getting very fed up, some may stay with friends or family in London.

“What is happening is dreadful, both for the rail passengers and for railways in general.”

Mr Monnery also hit out at the government’s part in the dispute.

He said: “These strikes are like a boxing match where both boxers hit the referee.

“I am no fan of RMT, but the way the government has treated these negotiations is frankly appalling.

“An agreement had been reached once, maybe twice, but the Government vetoed both deals imposing tough conditions knowing that they would be rejected by the unions.”

In November, the Department for Transport denied it had blocked a deal between union bosses and train firms.

The DfT said: “We did not block a deal and have no interest in blocking a deal.

“Industry, trade unions and government are all in agreement that this dispute has been going on for way too long now and we would like it resolved in a way that works for the traveling public and the taxpayer.”

Gazette: Mick Lynch (third left), general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) joins members on the picket line outside London Euston train station, in a long-running dispute over jobs and pensions.Mick Lynch (third left), general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) joins members on the picket line outside London Euston train station, in a long-running dispute over jobs and pensions. (Image: PA Media)

RMT head Mick Lynch said he understands frustration over the strikes, but advised disgruntled commuters to also “look at what the Government and the companies are doing”.

Speaking from a picket line at London’s Euston station, the RMT leader said the rail companies cannot run services properly on non-strike days, let alone on days when industrial action is being taken.

Mr Lynch said there was “very strong support” among the public for the walkouts but acknowledged not all people felt the same way.

Asked if he had a message to those angry about the disruption, he said: “We understand that anger and that frustration, and we understand why they might blame us, but they should also look at what the Government and the companies are doing.

“We want to get the railway back to normal. We want good industrial relations and we want the services to run the way they should be running.

“The companies can’t run them on non-strike days, never mind when we’re out. So, we need to change the equation and get a settlement to the dispute as quickly as possible, and that will mean the public can rely on the railway and get the services they need.”