RAIL passengers continued to suffer disruption to their journeys to work today as a conductor strike again hit services.

A hard core of conductors manned a picket line at York station as the second day of a 48-hour strike got under way.

Arriva Trains Northern confirmed it was again running about a third of its services.

The strike, in protest at pay and conditions given to drivers but not to conductors, could be the first of many.

York negotiators at the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) are waiting to hear whether a series of monthly strikes - running right through the rest of the year - will be ratified by the union's executive.

Meanwhile, many commuters took to the roads rather than take the risk of turning up at the region's rail stations.

The continuing industrial dispute is costing Arriva about £240,000 a day in lost ticket sales.

RMT organisers today said there were no planned talks with Arriva in the immediate future.

Updated: 11:30 Wednesday, February 06, 2002