REGULAR train services will finally return to Bolton this weekend after months of continuous strike action.

Bosses at Northern have confirmed that a full timetable will be in operation from this Saturday following confirmation from the RMT union last week that strikes have been suspended.

The two parties had been in dispute over the future role of conductors on trains but an agreement has been reached with Sir Brendan Barber, chair of arbitration firm ACAS.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said the union had been guaranteed that conductors would have a role on all services throughout the duration of the Northern franchise.

He called the agreement “substantial progress” and thanked members of the union who have so far committed to 47 days of strike action across a two-year period.

In response to the announcement, David Brown, managing director at Northern said: “We warmly welcome RMT’s decision to suspend its strike action and recommence talks about what the future role of the conductor looks like.

“We have been very clear in these discussions that there will be a conductor on all our trains now and into the future.

“We are looking forward to further positive talks with RMT about operational models moving ahead so that we can resolve their dispute and bring it to an end.”

Northern’s ongoing programme of planned cancellations is still expected to cause disruption on Sunday.

Passengers are advised to check the status of their trains before they travel by visiting, www.northernrailway.co.uk.