COMMUTERS will face even more disruption after union bosses announced further strike action onboard Merseyrail trains.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers Union has announced strike action will take place between 12am to 11.59pm on Tuesday, October 3 and Thursday, October 5.

During this time Network Rail will embark on a major project to overhaul the station, helping cater for a predicted doubling of peak-time passengers by 2043.

Liverpool Lime Street will have a major upgrade and no mainline services will enter or leave Lime Street Station from September 30 to October 8.

Merseyrail services will continue to call at Lime Street however this may now be affected by the strike action.

The dispute between the RMT and Merseyrail relates to a new fleet of driver-only trains that will replace the current 40-year-old rolling stock in 2020 which the RMT say will threaten the security of guards jobs on trains.

Jan Chaudhry-van der Velde, Merseyrail’s managing director, said: “We are busy trying to build a better city region with an improved railway.

"The RMT seem to be doing everything in their power to destroy this work.

"Don’t they want Liverpool to succeed?”

The union say that it was angry and frustrated that Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram refused to put pressure on Merseyrail to resolve the dispute.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: "It is disgraceful that Merseyrail continue to refuse all reasonable attempts by the union to settle this dispute. 

"Merseyrail have repeatedly kicked all conciliatory approaches by RMT negotiators back in our faces and made it crystal clear that all that they are interested in is the union signing a surrender document which gives them a free hand to rip apart the safety culture on the railway.

"It is that cynical and hostile stance from Merseyrail which has left us with no option but press ahead with a further two‎ days of strike action.

"RMT recognises the severe impact that the action will have but we are dealing with an employer that refuses to listen or engage with the union on the critical issue of safe rail operation and we ask the public to understand that we have no option but to take this high-profile action to force the company back to the negotiating table.

"RMT is calling for genuine talks to take place around a safe and sustainable deal that protects the future safety across Merseyrail services.

"The company should take up that offer of further talks as a matter of urgency.

“Merseyrail are completely ignoring the clear wishes of their own passengers, who overwhelmingly oppose the idea of drver-only operated trains on their network.

"That pig-headed attitude has forced the union’s hand and the idea that we would compromise on the fundamental issue of rail safety is absurd.

"The ball remains firmly in Merseyrail’s court.”

Over the next week an amended timetable in relation to the strike, as well as details about alternative travel arrangements will be published by Merseyrail.