CALLS have been made for rail passengers to be compensated as the RMT union voted to stage three further 24-hour strike.

The walkouts will be on Friday, February 22, Saturday, March 9 and Saturday, March 16 as part of its long-running dispute for a guarantee a guard will be present on every train.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: “It is a disgrace that South Western Railway has yet again opted to play for time over the past six months rather than acting responsibly and getting round the table with the union to work out a solution to this dispute that puts safety and the guard guarantee centre stage.”

A South Western Railway (SWR) spokesperson said: “We are obviously very disappointed for our customers that the RMT union plans to continue this needless industrial action.

“We have repeatedly committed to rostering a guard on all our services – the same assurance that seem to have been sufficient for the RMT to suspend its strikes elsewhere in the country earlier this week.

“No jobs are at risk and our plans over the course of the franchise mean we will need more guards, not fewer.”

Rail services will be impacted from after midnight until before midnight on all three dates.

Haslemere Rail Users Group secretary Martin Odell said: “The RMT have launched a direct challenge to SWR to give a ‘yes or no’ answer to the question of whether or not they are prepared to give a cast-iron guarantee every train will run with a guard on board, in addition to the driver.

“The underlying issue here is in respect of the new Class 701 trains which will be used on suburban services, including to Windsor, where SWR have offered a framework proposal under which a second person (a guard) with safety critical competencies would be rostered on all their services.

“The argument continues about the use of the words ‘second person’ and ‘rostered’.

“It is not about trains on the Waterloo-Haslemere-Portsmouth line which uses Class 450 and Class 444 trains and soon the refurbished Class 442s, all of which will have a guard, but Haslemere travellers will suffer anyway because of this strike action.”

Jeremy Varns, campaign coordinator for South Western Railway Watch, said: “I have written to the rail minister, Andrew Jones, to ask what action the government is taking in finding a resolution to this dispute. The lack of leadership by the rail minister and transport secretary is frustrating and disappointing.

“I have also requested a compensation package be introduced for rail passengers impacted by future strike action on SWR.

“Additionally, clarity has been sought on whether a decision has been made by the government to compensate the company for a loss of revenue as a result of this dispute.

“Either way, it is not fair or reasonable to expect passengers to continue to pay full price for a reduced service.”Haslemere Rail Users Group secretary Martin Odell said: “The RMT have launched a direct challenge to SWR to give a ‘yes or no’ answer to the question of whether or not they are prepared to give a cast-iron guarantee every train will run with a guard on board, in addition to the driver. “The underlying issue here is in respect of the new Class 701 trains which will be used on suburban services, including to Windsor, where SWR have offered a framework proposal under which a second person (a guard) with safety critical competencies would be rostered on all their services.“The argument continues about the use of the words ‘second person’ and ‘rostered’.“It is not about trains on the Waterloo-Haslemere-Portsmouth line which uses Class 450 and Class 444 trains and soon the refurbished Class 442s, all of which will have a guard, but Haslemere travellers will suffer anyway because of this strike action.”