PASSENGER group South Western Railway Watch has accused The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) of “holding the public to ransom” after union members agreed to continue strike action this week.

Commuters face another winter of misery after the RMT confirmed it has secured a “rock-solid vote” to continue with action in the rail safety dispute on South Western Railway, after being forced to re-ballot its members every six months under new legislation.

According to the union, members voted by an overwhelming 88 per cent to continue with the current action “in defence of safety, security and access”. As a result, a further 24-hour walkout by RMT members on South Western Railway is set to take place this Saturday, September 15.

The dispute centres around the future role of guards and the RMT’s objection to driver-only operated trains - with the union claiming that SWR has failed to give “assurances” that all services will continue to have two fully-trained staff on board.

SWR has repeatedly dismissed the strike action as “unnecessary”, however, commenting that its future plans “mean more, not fewer, guards” with driver-only operation merely allowing trains to still operate in “exceptional circumstances” if no guard was available.

The continued threat of strike action has also been criticised by campaign group South Western Railway Watch, with the watchdog taking particular umbrage at the union’s “refusal to accept change”.

A third of UK rail services already have driver-only operation in place and it has been in operation for about 30 years.

Jeremy Varns, campaign co-ordinator at South Western Railway Watch, a group with almost 6,000 followers on Twitter, said: “Passengers face an autumn and winter of discontent with the RMT once again holding the public to ransom over the role of guards.

“Driver-only operation is safely used elsewhere in the UK and throughout the world. Technology has evolved since the age of steam trains and slam-doors, and so too must the role of staff adapt to better meet the needs of passengers.

“Train companies such as South Western Railway need to modernise and remodel their operations to become more efficient but while also improving safety and accessibility for all passengers.

“The rail unions could have an important role to play in reshaping the industry, but sadly in the case of the RMT, their refusal to accept change is holding back much-needed progress.

“It is not acceptable that passengers continue to be disrupted by the actions of striking staff, especially so when the unions have agreed to this method of working on other routes throughout the UK.”

Announcing the fresh mandate, RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: “Once again our members have stood united and solid and have renewed the mandate to carry on the fight to put public safety before private profit. Now that the staff have spoken the ball is in the court of South Western Railway and we expect a swift and positive response to the union’s call for genuine and meaningful talks to commence immediately.”

Responding to this Saturday’s strike, a spokesman for South Western Railway said more than half of normal Saturday services will be provided, with up-to-date service information available online at https://www.southwesternrailway.com/plan-my-journey/rmt-industrial-action/saturday-15-september .

Replacement bus services and ticket acceptance with a number of other bus and rail companies have been arranged.

A South Western Railway spokesperson said: “We thank all of our customers for their patience and those guards who have worked to keep services moving during the RMT’s unnecessary summer strikes.

“We know how frustrating the RMT’s industrial action is for customers, and we are doing everything we can to minimise disruption, maximising service provision and extending trains where possible to provide additional seats.

“We continue to seek constructive talks with the RMT and have proposed a framework for these talks which would guarantee a second person with safety critical competencies rostered on all trains.”