A NATIONAL protest is to be held in support of Southern Railway guards in their long-running dispute over changes to their role.

Union leaders, rail campaigners and politicians will speak at a rally in Parliament on Tuesday November 1.

The event was announced as Southern services started recovering after a three-day strike by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union.

General secretary Mick Cash said: "Earlier this month the Transport Select Committee exposed the ongoing shambles that is Southern Rail and the blind eye that has been turned by the Government to gross mismanagement of this franchise on an industrial scale.

"The Select Committee called on the Government to engage in talks with the company and the union. That call has been ignored.

"The demonstration and rally on November 1 will be a chance to show not only RMT's opposition to Southern's profit-motivated drive to get rid of guards on trains, but also to hear from those who will be most affected by the proposed cuts, including pensioners and the disabled."

A spokesman for the Rail Delivery Group, which represents train operators and Network Rail, said: "The changes being adopted by Southern are about giving passengers better customer service. They are not cuts.

"New, state-of-the-art trains being introduced on the network mean drivers can safely close carriage doors, freeing up guards to better serve passengers, including older and disabled people.

"The railway is adopting 21st-century technology and people cannot turn back the clock. Modernisation is good for passengers, taxpayers and workers."

The news comes as Southern bosses promised the company will reinstate its full timetable by the end of the month.

Govia Thameslink, Southern's parent company, has been using a reduced timetable in a bid to cut down on lateness and cancellations over the summer and autumn.

The regular timetable will see more than 80 services back in use.

The RMT plans to walk out on seven more occasions before Christmas.

The next strike will be on November 4 with action the following day.

It has prompted fears that people will not be able to get to the Lewes Bonfire Night celebrations.

Strikes are also planned for November 22, 23 as well as December 6, 7, 8.

Guards were due to walk out on November 3 - Poppy Day - but this has been called off at the request of the Royal British Legion.