A first round of planned strikes by Merseyrail staff has been averted.
Rail workers were due to stage three 24-hour walkouts from Saturday, August 24 in protest at plans to remove guards on new driver-only operated trains.
But the RMT union, which represents 220 rail guards, confirmed on Thursday that the industrial action has beensuspended after talks with Steve Rotheram.
The union described the meeting with the Liverpool City Region’s Metro Mayor and Merseytravel bosses as ‘positive’ and plan on holding further discussions.
Mr Rotheram said: “As a result of constructive talks between myself, Cllr Liam Robinson, RMT general secretary Mick Cash and local RMT reps, I am pleased that a potential way forward has been found.
“I welcome the union’s decision to call off the strike action planned for this Saturday, Tuesday 3 September and Thursday 5 September.
“This is good news for passengers and underlines that significant progress is being made towards reaching a final resolution to this long-running dispute.”
It means the scheduled strikes on August 24 as well as September 3 and 5 have been called off but three more will go ahead on September 30, October 2 and 4.
As a result, no trains will run on the Kirkby and Hunts Cross lines on those dates while services to Chester and Ellesmere Port will start and terminate at Hooton.
Merseyrail staff have staged a succession of 24-hour strikes since transport chiefs announced the plans to implement the driver-only operated trains in 2016.