BOSSES at Southern Rail were in talks with union reps yesterday in a bid to solve a long-running row over the role of conductors.

Southern faced opposition from both drivers and conductors over its plans to expand driver-only trains, leading to scores of strikes on the network.

But drivers’ union Aslef struck a deal with the company earlier this month after talks brokered by the TUC. It said the company had agreed to have a second member of staff on every train except for in exceptional circumstances.

The result of a members’ ballot on whether to accept the deal is due tomorrow.

Rail union RMT, which represents the conductors, accused the TUC of locking it out of the talks with Aslef and said the resolution marked a “betrayal.”

The talks at conciliation service Acas concluded without an agreement and are not expected to resume tomorrow.

RMT said that Govia had blocked a meaningful agreement.

Earlier yesterday the union said that new figures provided by rail workers and passengers show an average of three services a day do not run with a second member of staff.

“That’s 1,000 journeys [a year] where a disabled passenger may not be able to get on or off the train or where passengers and the driver are at increased risk from anti-social behaviour or if something goes wrong, such as a derailment or fire,” said RMT general secretary Mick Cash.

Cabin crew working in the British Airways mixed fleet will escalate their strikes after bosses refused to meet them at Acas, their union Unite said last night. They will now strike from February 22 to February 25 on top of their walkout from this Friday till Monday next week.

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