Mark Harper says he is trying to "encourage" a deal which will avoid rail strikes that are expected to cause widespread disruption. The transport secretary said he's "working hard" to "hammer out a deal" which could end the industrial action in December. Speaking during a trip to the newly completed mile-long HS2 tunnel in Warwickshire, he said reforming to "modernise the way the railways work" could generate savings. Those savings, he said, could be used to "offer a decent pay rise to people in the industry."Source: PA