A 24-hour walkout by Southern’s railway conductors saw one third of its services derailed.

Two more 24-hour strikes are planned next month following the industrial action on April 26 unless negotiations are fruitful.

The walkout hinges on the dispute over the role of train conductors and driver-only trains.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union are unhappy with the company’s intention to switch responsibility for operating train doors from conductors to drivers, which it feels it is unsafe.

News Shopper: A Southern train, similar to the one attacked
The walkout hinges on the dispute over the role of train conductors and driver-only trains.

Talks aimed at averting further strikes by Southern Railway conductors are to be held on Friday (April 27).

The strike, which ended at 11am today, caused travel chaos for tens of thousands of passengers, with services across southern England cancelled or disrupted.

The rigmarole of navigating Clapham Junction frustrated many passengers who were forced to navigate a makeshift maze of barriers and use alternative access to platforms. 

In a letter to the union, the company said it was keen to hold consultations on the "evolution" of the role of conductors.