A third planned 24-hour rail strike will go ahead today after a week of major disruption to Scotland’s train network.

The RMT union has taken industrial action over a multi-year pay freeze and a lack of guarantee that there would be no compulsory redundancies across the network.

Train services across the UK have been thrown into chaos after two planned strikes took place on Tuesday and Thursday, with services running on the days in between also facing major delays and cancellations.

Train operators have strongly urged passengers to “only travel by train if necessary” this weekend and to check their journey in advance.

ScotRail has warned passengers it will have reduced services running on five railway lines between 7.30am and 6.30pm on Saturday.

The train operator said Network Rail will be unable to open other signal boxes to operate passenger services on any other routes.

Disruption is expected to last into Sunday, with music fans attending the Liam Gallagher gig at Glasgow’s Hampden Park that evening being warned the last train from nearby Mount Florida station back into the city centre is set to leave before the end of the event.

Scottish organiser Gordon Martin told the PA news agency that members are “resolute”, and he welcomed the “overwhelming” public support for the union’s industrial action.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch has said more strikes can be expected if a settlement is not reached with Network Rail and the UK’s rail operators.