CHRIS GRAYLING faced fresh calls to resign yesterday after Britain’s worst-performing railway told staff to deal with frustrated passengers with “positive body language.”

“Open palms” and “understanding … facial expressions” were recommended when dealing with train users exasperated by the chaos on Govia Thameslink Railway.

Rail union RMT said GTR’s sensational briefing, revealed yesterday, showed the Transport Secretary’s “incompetence” was “putting railway staff at risk.”

The leaked document warns that “the likelihood of encountering unhappy customers is higher than normal.”

It states: “If you come across customers who want to vent their frustration, please make sure to remain calm and de-escalate the situation by being apologetic and showing empathy.

“Always keep at a safe distance. Use positive body language in the form of open palms and by showing understanding in your facial expressions.

“If you feel intimidated or feel the situation is escalating beyond your control, don’t be afraid to close the conversation and move to a place of safety.”

GTR is responsible for chaos-ridden Southern rail as well as Thameslink and Great Northern services out of London.

Southern has faced a bitter dispute with its workforce over scrapping on-train guards, resulting in heavy strike action in 2016 and 2017.

But its management has also admitted a series of additional failures, including not employing enough train crew on taking over the service.

The company is in a unique arrangement with the government where it is paid a fixed fee to run services — meaning it does not suffer financial losses when passengers jump ship.

‎Speaking at his union’s AGM in Edinburgh, RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: “This notice issued by GTR to staff shows the reality of Grayling’s railway.

“That such a notice has had to be issued at all demonstrates the daily danger that staff are being put in as a result of Grayling’s incompetence.

“If putting railway staff at risk in this way is not a reason to resign then what is?”

The briefing advises workers to report incidents of abuse to the police and gives the number for a staff support helpline.

The briefing goes on to say: “I do recognise the current situation is far from ideal and want to reassure you that the Crime and Security Team will do all we can to support our colleagues on trains and stations.”

It says the company is deploying additional security guards on the network at present.

Last week outgoing GTR boss Charles Horton told MPs he was “terribly sad and terribly sorry that it has ended as it has.”

His departure came after commuters across Britain faced yet more chaos as a new timetable was introduced.