MORE strikes are to be staged on South Western Railway in June, after talks with the RMT failed again.

The union said there would be five consecutive 24-hour walkouts by drivers and guards between 18 and 22 June inclusive.

The RMT has also accused SWR of ‘rowing back on their public pledges’, which had said there would be ‘a guard with safety critical competencies’ on each train.

The union’s general secretary Mick Cash said: ‘Our members are angry and frustrated that despite suspending action in good faith, and entering into talks in a positive and constructive manner, South Western Railway have dragged their heels and failed to bolt down an agreement that matches up to our expectations on the guard guarantee.

‘For more than three months we have sought to negotiate a conclusion to this dispute and it is wholly down to the management side that the core issue of the safety critical competencies and the role of the guard has not been signed off. It is because of that crucial failure by SWR that we have had no option but to lift the suspension and move back into strike action.’

Railnews has asked for a response from SWR.