Rail guards start one-day strike

c2c says the union has made a "U-turn"

A one-day strike by train guards is expected to disrupt rush-hour rail travel into London from Essex on the Southend and Tilbury lines on Thursday.

The strike follows the break down of talks between rail firm c2c and the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) over the issue of driver-only trains.

The company said it will run 20 trains to London in the morning and evening peak periods, a reduction of 50%.

But it expects that 75% of commuters will be able to travel as usual, as some trains will be lengthened to 12 carriages to accommodate more people.

Talks collapsed and no discussions are planned

RMT assistant general secretary Bob Crow said: "c2c is now the only train-operating company in the country not to support our charter for train crew safety."

He said a key part of the charter was an end to the policy of extending driver-only operations.

"It seems they are not interested in solving the dispute. We offered them a moratorium (on the issue of driver-only operated trains) but they would not accept," said Mr Crow.

Months of inconvenience

The union is angry that guards no longer have responsibility for train service safety under changes to railway rules made in 1999.

The strike started at 0001 BST on Thursday.

It is the latest in a series of one-day strikes by the guards.

C2c route director David Taylor said he thought the two sides were on the verge of a breakthrough, but then the union made "a U-turn" and decided to break off talks.

"It is bad news that talks have failed to find a final resolution to this dispute, which has resulted in four months of inconvenience to customers," he said.

He said the company's eight-point proposal that was rejected by the union included:

• an offer of new posts for guards
• transfers to other jobs within the company
• a promise of no compulsory redundancies

c2c is the only train company not to reach a deal with the RMT over the role of guards.

The other 19 train operators reached agreement before the first of a series of strikes last June.