Commuters face renewed disruption to services as rail workers announced a series of strikes next month in a bitter row over pay and working conditions.

Thousands of members of the RMT union will walk out on November 3, 5 and 7 after the union’s general secretary Mick Lynch accused Network Rail bosses of “dishonesty”.

Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express services have been previously crippled by strike action by the union over the last few months.

The RMT accused Network Rail of attempting to impose “drastic changes” in working practices on its staff and of writing directly to staff “undermining delicate talks”.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “The dishonesty of Network Rail bosses has reached a new low in this national rail dispute.

“On the one hand, they were telling our negotiators that they were prepared to do a deal while planning to torpedo negotiations by imposing unacceptable changes to our members’ terms and conditions.

“Our members are livid with these duplicitous tactics, and they will now respond in kind with sustained strike action.”

Tim Shoveller, Network Rail’s chief negotiator, accused the leadership of the RMT of being “intent on more damaging strikes” than voting on an offer put forward by the body.

He said: “A two-year eight per cent deal, with discounted travel and a new extended job guarantee to January 2025, is on the table ready to be put to our staff.

“My team and I remain available for serious talks and continue to negotiate in good faith.

“Our sector has a £2 billion hole in its budget with many fewer passengers using our services.

“That reality is not going to change anytime soon and a fair and affordable and improved deal is on the table, ready to be implemented if our people were only offered the opportunity.”

The Department for Transport described the decision as “incredibly disappointing” and that strike action will take rail travel “back to the dark ages”.

A spokesman for the department said: “Through no fault of their own, millions of people will once again, millions of people will once again have their day-to-day lives disrupted and be unable to attend work, school or vital doctor’s appointments.

“Our railway is in desperate need of modernisation but all more strikes will do is take it back to the dark ages and push passengers further away.

“We urge union bosses to reconsider this divisive action and instead work with employers, not against them, to agree a new way forward.”