RAIL union RMT demanded guarantees from Southern Rail yesterday that guards will be kept on trains ahead of talks next week.

The union, which represents guards on Southern, issued a demand for bosses to commit to having a second safety-critical staff member on every train.

It made the call following a proposed deal struck between Southern and train drivers’ union Aslef last week, which the RMT claimed amounted to “a shocking and historical betrayal presided over by the TUC.”