THERE are fears terrorists may take advantage of the ongoing chaos on Southern trains to carry out deadly attacks.

The warning comes as it was revealed Thameslink, Southern's sister company, failed a security test where a suspect package was left on a train.

Procedures have been put in place to learn from mistakes but union leaders have warned passengers are at serious risk.

A leaked memo from Tony Holland, crime and security manager at Govia Thameslink (GTR), which runs Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express, reveals staff failed to spot a suspect bag planted by the Department for Transport.

In his message to staff, dated November 9, he said: "The test involved leaving an unattended bag on a train, which contained a suspicious item. Disappointingly, the bag was not found despite it being positioned in a public area of the train, and railway personnel seen to walk past the location.

"This incident further highlights the need for us to be alert and identify any unattended items that may be left on trains and stations.

"Considering the recent incident at North Greenwich Underground station (October 20) where a viable device was found on a train which had to be destroyed in a controlled explosion, this bag should have been identified."

A GTR spokesman yesterday confirmed the failed test adding that it was a Thameslink train which was being cleared by cleaners.

He said all cleaning staff had received "re-briefings" to remind them of safety measures.

Keith Richmond, from drivers' union Aslef, said the failed test was worrying and that terrorists may look to exploit the problems on Sussex trains.

He said: "At a time when Islamic State (IS) is making threats and when we are all being asked to be more vigilant it seems perverse that they should be making changes (making trains driver only operational) in contrary of safety to passengers.

"There should be properly trained guards on board who would be able to respond to a situation like this. At the moment you have Southern running some services with no OBS (on board supervisors). Even if a passenger did find a suspect package they would have nobody to report it to."

A Southern spokesman dismissed Mr Richmond's claims, arguing that under their modernisation plan there would be more people working on our trains, not fewer.

He added: "And they'll be able to give better customer service as well as looking for suspicious bags during journeys.

"It's only while the unions carry on with this entirely unwarranted industrial action that we have been forced, on occasion, to run a train with only a driver which is better than cancelling the service as we had to do before we changed to driver-controlled operation."

STRIKE DATES ARE CHANGED BUT THE DISRUPTION GOES ON

UNION members have decided to spread out their strike dates in a bid to take a “longer-term view” of the dispute.

Members of Aslef were due to walk out for six days from Monday in a bitter dispute over driver-only trains.

The union has changed the dates to January 10, 11 and 13 but also announced three fresh strikes on January 24, 25 and 27.

Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan said: “We are taking a longer-term view of this trade dispute. The company has not been prepared to move – it is simply going through the motions, turning up at Acas, as it did yesterday, and telling us that it intends to impose driver-only operation.

“We remain committed to a negotiated settlement, as was reached with ScotRail, but it is difficult to negotiate with people who are not prepared to be flexible.

“We still believe a deal can be done but we are, at the moment, a long way from that position.

“It is time for the company to come up with a genuine offer rather than carry on posturing.”

Aslef members are currently banning overtime, which is leading to services being cancelled or delayed every day.

A Southern spokesman described the Aslef decision as a “cynical ploy” to “minimise the impact on Aslef’s drivers’ pay packets and maximise misery, disruption and hardship for passengers”.

He said: “Aslef’s move shows pure contempt for the travelling public and it still causes massive disruption over next week.

“These strikes are pointless and they should call the whole thing off and let common sense prevail.”