Chaos was predicted on the roads for commuters after rail staff last night voted to strike.

Rail passengers groups said many commuters would abandon the trains once and for all after becoming increasingly frustrated at delays and other problems on the rails.

The warning comes as the Rail, Maritime and Transport union decided to strike amid a row over pay.

The RMT, which represents conductors and station staff, voted to take action against Arriva Trains Northern, voting seven to one in favour of striking.

Services on January 24 and 25 and February 5 and 6 are set to be affected. The firm runs some 1,600 services a day across the north of England.

The first two day walk out will coincide with a stoppage at South West Trains, which is involved in a separate dispute with the union over pay and disciplinary procedures.

Allen Heath, West Yorkshire organiser for the RMT, warned: "This is going to be a long drawn out affair and I cannot see it being resolved for a long time."

A spokesman for Arriva said the company was disappointed with the outcome of the ballot. But she added that the company will continue to be available for discussions with the RMT.

Derrick Joanes, secretary of the Wharfedale Rail Users Group said the strike could be the last straw for many rail users.

"This is going to cause major inconvenience for a lot of rail passengers. I think most of them are completely fed up with the train service situation. They have had to put up with reduced services in recent months," he said.

"Other commuters will also suffer. Drivers will find their journeys take much longer and it will be the same for people who use the bus.

"We have had some new trains in Wharfedale but all too often services are being cancelled or replaced with short distance diesel trains."

Ernie Preston, of the Rail Passengers Group for North Eastern England, said he hoped RMT and Arriva would come to an agreement quickly.

He said: "Passengers have really had the thin end of the wedge in recent years through disruption and poor quality."

Arriva offered drivers a 17.6 per cent pay rise and £400 Christmas bonus last year in a bid to stop them quitting the firm for rival companies and to attract new drivers - with the lack of drivers the cause of many cancellations by Arriva.

But guards and station staff who earn between £15,00 and £19,000 a year are furious they have been offered a rise of just four per cent.

Yesterday Trade Secretary Stephen Byers refused to intervene in the dispute but he urged the parties to put the travelling public first.

But Shadow Transport Secretary Theresa May said: "This shows yet more irresponsible behaviour from the RMT in causing continued disruption for commuters.

"It is a sign of the ongoing chaos on the nation's railways, over which Stephen Byers is presiding and refusing to intervene."