Transport secretary trying to ‘encourage’ deal to avoid rail strikes

Mark Harper says he is trying to "encourage" a deal which will avoid rail strikes that are expected to cause widespread disruption.

The transport secretary said he's "working hard" to "hammer out a deal" which could end the industrial action in December.

Speaking during a trip to the newly completed mile-long HS2 tunnel in Warwickshire, he said reforming to "modernise the way the railways work" could generate savings.

Those savings, he said, could be used to "offer a decent pay rise to people in the industry."

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