A FRESH round of strikes will bring further disruption to the rail network in Wales despite the nation's largest train operator not being directly involved in the ongoing union dispute over pay and conditions.

Transport for Wales has announed "the majority of rail services across the Wales and Borders network will be suspended" for eight days in December and January, when members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union form picket lines.

RMT members at Network Rail and 14 train operators will stage walkouts, due to be held on December 13 and 14, December 16 and 17, January 3 and 4, and January 6 and 7.

Transport for Wales is not one of the firms involved in the union dispute, but the strikes will force cancellations of nearly all services in Wales because rail infrastructure is not devolved and is still almost wholly run and maintained by Network Rail, a UK Government arms-length agency.

"The industrial action resulting from the dispute between the unions and Network Rail means we’ll be unable to operate rail services on Network Rail infrastructure," Transport for Wales said in a statement.

The new round of strikes comes after the RMT cancelled recent industrial action in the hopes of a breakthrough in negotiations.

Announcing the new action, the RMT said: "The union suspended previous strike action in good faith to allow for intensive negotiations to resolve the dispute.

"Yet, Network Rail have failed to make an improved offer on jobs, pay and conditions for our members during the last two weeks of talks."

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: "This latest round of strikes will show how important our members are to the running of this country and will send a clear message that we want a good deal on job security, pay and conditions for our people.

"We have been reasonable, but it is impossible to find a negotiated settlement when the dead hand of government is presiding over these talks."

The UK government's transport secretary, meanwhile, has said his role is to “facilitate and support” a deal in the long-running rail dispute rather than get involved in negotiations.

In a letter to Mr Lynch, Mark Harper said: "We both agree the industrial dispute on the railways has gone on too long.

"It’s bad for your members, losing out on pay and overtime, bad for businesses who depend on trains to bring them goods and customers and bad for people across our country who depend on the railways.

"Worse, disruption pushes more and more people away from using the railways, some of whom will never come back.

"We both want a long-term sustainable railway that provides both great service and rewarding jobs.

"Every day’s industrial action makes that harder to deliver."

Additional reporting by Alan Jones, PA industrial correspondent