Andy McDonald MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, responding to the news that Southern Rail have rejected a fresh set of proposals that could have resolved the on-going industrial dispute and prevented next Thursday’s strike from going ahead, said:

“By throwing out the prospect of an ACAS-brokered settlement to this dispute, Southern GTR again downplay the importance of critical staff to passenger safety and accessibility on our overcrowded rail network.

“The deal reached between ScotRail and the RMT is a template for agreement on Southern but the employer has decided to further risk passenger safety, job security and industrial relations, instead of finding a workable agreement.

“Rather than rejecting these proposals and pitting passengers against staff, Southern should settle this dispute and get on with dealing with the fundamental problems affecting this abysmal service which continue to blight passengers and which have nothing to do with the safety issues at the heart of this dispute.

“The message to passengers under this Government remains that preserving privatisation is more important than providing reliable, comfortable and affordable public rail services.”