TRAINS across Essex could come to a standstill for 24 hours later this month after a rail union announced when it intends to go on strike.

The RMT will hold a one-day strike, starting at 5pm on Bank Holiday Monday, May 25.

The industrial action threatens to cause misery for holiday travellers and rush-hour commuters alike.

Essex rail operators c2c and Greater Anglia have not confirmed the level of service they will be able to provide during the action.

But a total shutdown of both networks is a possibility because signal workers, who are vital for trains to be able to run, belong to the RMT union.

A ballot of RMT members on Tuesday confirmed support for strike action, and the strike date was confirmed by the union executive today.

Across the country, 16,000 Network Rail staff belong to the RMT.

Strike action was called after the RMT rejected a pay offer which would have seen staff given a £500 lump sum this year, followed by salary rises in line with inflation in 2016, 2017 and 2018.

Union general secretary Mick Cash said: “The failure of the company to make any moves whatsoever in light of the overwhelming vote in the ballot has left us with no option but to move to a rolling programme of industrial action."

RMT members will also refuse to work overtime or longer shifts for 48 hours from May 25.

A c2c spokesman said: “We are aware that National Rail members of the RMT and TSSA trade unions have voted in favour of industrial action starting on Bank Holiday Monday.

“We are working with Network Rail to understand what level would be able to run if this goes ahead.

“We will update this information when more details are available.”

A spokesman for Abellio Greater Anglia said: "As soon as we have more information on what level of service it may be possible to operate during the RMT's proposed industrial action, we will provide travel advice via our website and at stations to update passengers on the likely impact to their journeys."

Network Rail chief executive Mark Carne said: “We will do everything we can to keep our railways moving during these times of uncertainty and to stop the RMT from behaving in a way that will cause untold misery to our passengers and will hurt the economy.”