Northern Rail staff balloted on strike over train guards

Some 1,200 members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union were being asked to vote on the issue, which has crippled services in the south.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said the union would “fight to retain the safety-critical role of the guard and to keep a guard on the train”.

A company spokesman said: “We want to agree a constructive resolution to this dispute. Should any strike action go ahead, we want to reassure our customers that we are preparing plans to keep them moving.”