Story by Joe Acklam.

Signal workers and maintenance staff of the RMT Union have voted in favour of accepting a new pay offer from Network Rail, but strikes will continue to go ahead in Kingston. 

In a major step forward in the ongoing disputes between rail workers and Network Rail, 76% of signal workers and maintenance staff of the RMT Union out of a turnout of 90% have voted to accept a pay offer. 

This means that they will now not be a part of upcoming walkouts, but other staff from South Western Railway and 13 other train providers will still be on strike on from Thursday 30th March and Saturday 1st April. 

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: "Strike action and the inspiring solidarity and determination of members has secured new money and a new offer which has been clearly accepted by our members and that dispute is now over. 

"Our dispute with the Train Operating Companies remains firmly on and our members recent highly effective strike action across the fourteen train companies has shown their determination to secure a better deal.  

"If the government now allows the train companies to make the right offer, we can then put that to our members but until then the strike action scheduled for March 30 and April 1 will take place.  

"The ball is in the government's court." 

The new deal offers a 14.4% pay raise for the lowest pay grades and 9.2% for the highest; increased backpay; renewing of the no compulsory redundancy agreement until January 2025; Network Rail withdrawing their previous insistence the offer was conditional on RMT accepting the company 'modernising maintenance' agenda; and discounted trail travel benefits. 

South Western Railway said in a statement on the forthcoming strike action: "On Thursday 30 March and Saturday 1 April we will operate a significantly reduced service on a limited number of lines, due to the limited number of staff we will have available to safely operate trains. 

"Services for both of these days will be announced during the week commencing Monday 20 March. 

"Journey planners for Thursday 30 March will be up to date on Saturday 25 March. Journey planners for Saturday 1 April will be up to date on Tuesday 28 March. 

For both Thursday 30 March and Saturday 1 April we advise customers to only travel if their journeys are absolutely necessary, to check their entire journey before travelling, and to note the first and last train times."