Southern staff will stage a fresh round of strikes in their long-running dispute with bosses over train guards.

Rain union the RMT announced 14 days of action over the next three months in response to what it called “blatant disregard for the safety and security of passengers and staff alike”.

Trains were cancelled and passengers faced long delays as staff walked out for two days earlier this month.

In August the RMT called off action three days into a five-day strike.

The dispute centres on proposals to limit the work of train guards on platforms and what the union considers a creeping move towards driver-only trains.

There are two main routes operated by Southern which serve Kent: the Tonbridge to London line via Redhill and Ashford to Brighton via Hastings.

The latest series of strikes will take place from Tuesday to Thursday, October 11 to 13, from Tuesday to Thursday, October 18 to 20 and Thursday to Saturday, November 3 to 5.

“In the light of these recent developments it is disgraceful that neither the company or the Government are prepared to engage and are continuing to attempt to impose driver only operation in the interests of putting profit before safety..." - Mick Cash, RMT

There will also be strikes on Tuesday and Wednesday, November 22 and 23 and Tuesday to Thursday, December 6 to 8.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: “Yet again our members are being forced to take industrial action in a bid to maintain a safe and secure service on Southern.

“Govia Thameslink and the Government have made it clear that they have no interest in resolving this dispute.

“Instead they have begun the process of bulldozing through the drive towards wholesale driver only operation (DOO) without agreement and without any concern for the impact on safety, security and disability access.

“Last week there was a train derailment near Watford that involved two trains. The guards on both trains played a vital role in protecting the passengers and the trains in what were extremely frightening circumstances.

“If the train had been DOO and without a guard the consequences would have been far worse.”

Mr Cash pointed to an agreement between the union and Scotrail which guarantees conductors on every new train.

He said: “If an agreement can be reached on Scotrail, then an agreement can also be made on Southern.

“In the light of these recent developments it is disgraceful that neither the company or the Government are prepared to engage and are continuing to attempt to impose DOO in the interests of putting profit before safety.

“We call on them to get round the negotiating table as an urgent priority.”

Angie Doll, passenger services director at GTR, which owns Southern, said: “The RMT’s desire to heap yet further travel misery on the public and affect the everyday lives of so many people is shameful.

"Everyone is sick and tired of the union’s posturing and it has to stop, and stop now. It’s what the public want...” - Angie Doll, GTR

“A comprehensive and fair offer has been on the table for weeks and the union leadership’s claims about jobs, pay, safety are trumped-up make believe.

"This scaremongering by the RMT union is a contrived attempt to gain public support when it knows its spurious arguments about jobs, pay, accessibility and safety have been demolished by independent experts and analysis and are falling on deaf ears.

“We’ve always said we are ready, willing and able to sit down and discuss how best we implement our modernisation plans and give our customers the services they expect and deserve.

"The RMT has to stop being the problem and get on board - finally - and be part of the solution.

"Everyone is sick and tired of the union’s posturing and it has to stop, and stop now. It’s what the public want.”