Further rail strike possible

Rail union leaders are likely to authorise another 24-hour strike today but will leave time for talks to take place with British Rail over the demand for no compulsory redundancies, writes Martin Whitfield.

The executive of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) has a mandate for further action from a ballot vote of its 60,000 members.

A meeting at the union's headquarters in London is expected to set a further strike date with midweek of the week following Easter the favourite option to avoid disruption to the public's holiday travel plans.