Rail strikes are set to see the cancellation of around 80% of train services across Britain today, Tuesday (June 21) including our area.

Read Hitchin Nub News rail strike blog as we update news affecting North Herts throughout the day including Govia services - or lack of.

Last-ditch talks to resolve the bitter dispute have failed with both sides blaming each other. Unions called the strikes over pay, jobs and conditions.

The RMT trade union insists the situation has been 'manufactured' by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, while in turn Shapps claims it has been 'created by the unions'.

With only a fifth of services estimated to run, half of lines shut, and the network closed from 630pm on Monday evening, train passengers are facing chaos as the biggest strike by rail workers for a generation takes hold.

Thousands of members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union at Network Rail and 13 train operators have walked out today, and will do so again on Thursday (June 23) and Saturday (June 25).

While three days of strikes have been announced this week, train services are expected to be impacted on the days without planned strike action as well due to knock-on effects – with about 60% of normal services running.

Summary

Today sees the first of three national rail strikes across England, Scotland and Wales - two more are planned for Thursday and Saturday

Only a fifth of trains are due to run on half of the network so the advice is to try not to travel

Many areas will see no trains at all - north from Glasgow or Edinburgh; to Penzance in Cornwall; to Swansea or Holyhead

Elsewhere, a shorter part of the day is covered by services and the last departure for some long-distance routes will be in the middle of the afternoon

The action by members of the RMT union is over pay and redundancies, with more strike dates due later this month and in July

Network Rail's boss tells the BBC he is "profoundly sorry" for the disruption to people's journeys

London Underground workers have also gone on strike in a separate dispute over pensions and job losses

Stay tuned to Hitchin Nub News for Live Updates throughout the day