Southern statement following talks with the RMT union on Friday 29th April 2016

We expected to have serious constructive talks but sadly the RMT was not prepared to discuss details of the new role.

We tabled, at their request, high level principles on which to move forward and they have dismissed them out of hand, offering no alternative of their own.

This is a snub to every commuter on the Southern network who now seem condemned to four more days of strikes early next month.

All we are doing is shifting responsibility for closing a train's doors from the conductor to the driver, so the conductor, in their new role of on-board supervisor, can focus on customer service on the train.

There will be no compulsory redundancies, and no-one will get a cut in salary.

We continue to urge the RMT to review their position and not inflict another totally unnecessary strike on our passengers.