FAILING rail privateer Southern revealed yesterday that it will run 341 fewer services every day on Britain’s busiest commuter links.

The company is to axe 15 per cent of its services on the line between London and Brighton as part of an “emergency timetable” that takes effect on Monday.

Bosses blamed staff shortages, which they claim are a result of workers calling in sick as part of a dispute over Southern’s attempt to de-skill guards.

But rail union RMT has rejected that, saying there are plenty of workers available.

There have been notable cases of train crews standing on the platform next to services cancelled by bosses.

Almost a quarter of Southern trains outside London were either cancelled or significantly late last month.

Southern passenger services director Alex Foulds said the “emergency” timetable was the “best thing we can do for our passengers” and again blamed the RMT.

But the union said the new timetable was actually designed to rig the company’s performance figures in order to protect its profits.

“This is crisis management on Britain’s biggest rail franchise, a franchise that is now in terminal meltdown,” RMT general secretary Mick Cash said.

“The continuing attempt to blame this gross mismanagement on the front-line staff is a cynical and cowardly ploy.”

Green MP Caroline Lucas echoed Labour demands and told ministers to “hesitate no longer and put [the franchise] in public hands.”

But the Tories — backing operator Govia Thameslink Railway in a broader bid to boot guards from trains — have ruled that out.