TRAIN travellers across Enfield are set for two days of commuter misery as train staff go on strike.

Staff from National Express East Anglia, which runs the Liverpool Street to Enfield and the Liverpool Street to Hertford East lines are set to walk out tomorrow and Friday over pay.

The strike will affect people using Enfield Town, Bush Hill Park, Southbury, Turkey Street, Edmonton Green, Silver Street, Enfield Lock, Brimsdown, Ponders End and Angel Road stations.

The strike was called by members of two rail unions, ASLEF and the RMT, after they claimed they discovered that the company had made half a billion pounds profit while attracting £2.5 billion in public subsidies over the past ten years.

General secretary of the RMT, Bob Crow, said its members voted for the strike at a ratio of nine to one.

“RMT are in no doubt that the failure to make any kind of meaningful pay offer to staff on National Express East Anglia is all about the company trying to milk the franchises that they have left, fatten up their profits and make their staff pay for a crisis which was cooked up in the boardroom by senior managers who have now jumped ship," he said.

“RMT members have shown in this ballot that they are not prepared to be the victims of the National Express franchise chaos.”

But the company's managing director, Andrew Chivers, has hit back at the decision.

"The unions' demands are totally unrealistic, especially in this current economic climate," he said.

"We have offered salary increases above the rate of inflation, and remain available at any time for discussions to reach a sensible, affordable and fair agreement.

"Strike action is unnecessary, simply not the solution and I would like to apologise to our customers."

The unions are also threatening further 48 hour strikes on August 6, 13 and 20 if their demands are not met.

The company has said it will refund the equivalent price of tickets for two days to season ticket holders.