AN impassioned plea has been made to return disrupted rail services back to normal before it's too late.

Settle Chamber of Trade chairman Tony Price has written to rail transport providers Arriva Trains Northern and the RMT Union, pointing out the problems a continuous programme of one-day strikes was causing along the Settle to Carlisle railway.

Mr Price wrote: "The entire North Yorkshire area was hit by a major economic and human crisis during 2001, with the foot and mouth epidemic keeping our visitors away and causing severe hardship, not just for the farming community, but for many members of our Chamber of Trade and other local businesses and families."

He said the local economy had now begun to recover as tourists returned to the Dales, many of whom preferred to leave their cars behind.

"It is with great sadness that we see yet again the area's vitally important rail service being so badly disrupted by industrial action - action that is further threatening a community striving to regenerate itself following an appallingly bad year," said Mr Price. "Our customers are being prevented from getting to our members by the actions of your members.

"The railway is part of Settle's heritage and probably the reason why so many people recognise the name of the town when it is mentioned. Should the current disruption continue, we can envisage a time when the rail service within the Dales - which has such a proud association with the name of Settle - will die completely, which would surely be a tragedy for us and for you."

The ongoing programme of strikes is being staged by train conductors in a dispute over pay. Mr Price has asked that staff are given the opportunity to formally consider Arriva's current pay offer.

Responding to the letter, the RMT's regional organiser Stan Herschel said: "The majority of people who rely on Arriva Trains Northern for their businesses are suffering unnecessarily the same way as our members are suffering unnecessarily."

Ray Price, Arriva Trains Northern's managing director, commented: "I understand and share the concerns which have been raised by the Settle and District Chamber of Trade and support their wish that the RMT accepts our offer of four per cent.

"It is particularly frustrating that, at a time when we have turned the business around, we continue to suffer from industrial action in pursuit of unrealistic pay claims.

"However, on strike days our managers and those employees not engaged in strike action are working hard to provide as many services as possible for our customers."