TALKS to end the misery for commuters have ended in stalemate and finger pointing by unions and rail bosses.

Acas-led negotiations between RMT union officials and Govia bosses ended in deadlock yesterday morning with both sides accusing the other of failing to compromise.

Southern - which is owned by Govia - is digging its heels in following the talks - saying it is moving forward with its “modernisation plan” with on-board supervisors taking up their roles on trains currently without conductors from Sunday.

And Govia said transferring the existing conductors’ role to on-board supervisors will then be phased in.

Southern put the blame on union bosses for failing to accept their eight-point proposal – an offer they say remains on the table and which will guarantee jobs, pay and retain a second member of staff on trains as they do now.

Govia claimed the union’s opposition to the proposed changes was not about safety but about “union power and control”.

Angie Doll, GTR passenger services director, said: “We have guaranteed to have a second person on as many trains as today, but the union is rigidly refusing our offer to agree a list of exceptional circumstances when we would be able to run our trains without a second staff member on board, such as during disruption to still get people home.

“The fact is that, day in, day out for decades, up and down Britain’s railways and the Tube network, we’ve had the driver operating the doors, safely.

“After so much unnecessary industrial action, we must all get back to the job of giving our passengers the service they expect and deserve."

But RMT officials blamed Southern for their failure to accept their "solid" proposal to ensured the second member of staff on trains and secure safety and customer service assistance.

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said: "Our proposals covered all the three main areas requiring agreement to allow us to move forwards and we are bitterly disappointed that they have been rejected out of hand.

"We know that the public who use these services will share our anger and frustration.

"We had a golden opportunity in these talks to make some serious progress on the core issue of a second person on the train who would have protected the safety of passengers, delivered customer service and ensured access to services for those with disabilities or needing assistance."