The RMT has fought the attack on the role of the guard over the last few years on a whole number of train companies. The role of the guard is critical in maintaining public safety.

RMT action in defence of safety on South Western Railway has seen around 900 RMT members embark on 27 days of planned action.

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said: "RMT members are standing rock solid and united on South Western Railway this morning as we begin a full month of strike action in support of the safest method of train operation and dispatch. This strike is solely about protecting safety and accessibility on SWR trains. RMT is angry and frustrated that a set of proposals that would have guaranteed the safety-critical role of the guard at the point of dispatch, and which would have cost the company absolutely nothing, were kicked back in our faces last week. There is no rational explanation for the company position and we can only assume that either they or their paymasters in Government wanted this strike action to go ahead for politically motivated purposes."

Mick Cash continued: "Instead of spending a fortune mobilising an army of under-trained and potentially dangerous Contingency Guards the company should be back round the table with the union concentrating on reaching the negotiated settlement that is easily within grasp, which they committed to verbally in earlier talks and which would cost SWR nothing."

It is reported that SWR is being compensated by the government on any losses caused by the strike of up to £86 million for the days when it is not running trains.

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