THOUSANDS of passengers will face disruption as train guards and drivers at Southern stage another walk out.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union will strike for 24 hours on May 30.

RMT members have already taken 31 days of strike action so far in a row over plans to introduce driver only trains.

Talks were held on Monday between the RMT and Southern, without any breakthrough in the year long dispute.

The union said it had been told by the company more than 8,200 trains a year will run without an on-board supervisor (OBS).

General secretary Mick Cash said: “RMT members on Southern Rail have been fighting for safety and access to rail services for over a year now.

“We have met with the company but there is a massive gap of more than 8,000 trains a year the company has confirmed will run without an OBS on board.

“That represents a serious safety and accessibility risk.

“Short of the guarantee of a second safety qualified member of staff on Southern services, we have no option but to confirm a further day of strike action."

Govia Thameslink Railway human resources director Andy Bindon said: "We are hugely disappointed that once again the RMT has called a strike, particularly since we put a further reasonable offer to the union today.

“The RMT’s proposals would mean cancelling trains and reducing service levels to our passengers.

"Our service levels are stabilising at the highest we’ve seen in years and we cannot agree to anything which will jeopardise running trains and the service to our passengers.

"With passenger numbers doubling every 20 years, railway capacity is being addressed by a UK-wide railway modernisation programme that necessitates change.

"We ask the RMT to help us to underpin and maximise train frequency and capacity now and for the future.”