THE bitter dispute over the role of guards on Southern trains is showing no signs of ending as more strike dates are announced.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) will walk out for 48 hours from November 8.

The union has been embroiled in a dispute with Southern for more than 18 months, taking more than 30 days of strike action.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: "Every single effort that RMT has made to reach negotiated settlements in this dispute over safe operation and safe staffing has been kicked back in our faces and we are left with no option but to confirm a further phase of industrial action in early November.

"It is outrageous that Prime Minister Theresa May and Transport Secretary Chris Grayling are happy to stand aside and cheer on overseas rail companies that rip-off the British passenger to subsidise their domestic transport operations while throwing the guards off our trains."

A Department for Transport spokesman said: "The RMT should stop this action aimed at deliberately disrupting passengers, and call off their strikes.

"This dispute is not about jobs and no-one is losing any pay.

“The union is striking despite rail company guarantees on posts for staff. It is not about safety, the independent rail regulator has said driver-controlled trains are safe."

The November 8 strikes coincide with a ballot result by the drivers' union Aslef over a proposed deal to end its dispute with Southern.

A spokesman for Govia Thameslink Railway, parent company of Southern, said: "We are very disappointed by this unnecessary RMT strike action and the union's continued refusal to engage with us in modernising the railway.

"We expect to run a normal service on most of our routes during the RMT strike days."