AFTER two days of strike action caused misery for rail commuters the disruption has spread into a third day thanks to ice on the rails.

Trains are unable to operate at Plumpton and Cooksbridge southbound due to ice preventing trains getting electricity.

A Southern spokesman: “Southbound lines are blocked between HaywardsHeath and Lewes due to ice preventing trains getting electricity.”

The delays and cancellations follow two days of industrial action which left streams of workers unable to use the rail network.

A Network Rail spokesman said: “Engineers are working to resolve the problem.

“Apologies if you are affected.”

The strike, which ended at 11am yesterday, caused travel chaos for tens of thousands of passengers, with services across Sussex cancelled or disrupted.

Two more 24-hour strikes are planned next month after plans to switch responsibility for operating train doors from conductors to drivers, which the union claims is unsafe.