YORK Central MP Rachael Maskell joined RMT union members at York Railway Station yesterday as they staged another strike in the continuing dispute with Northern over guards and driver only trains.

The Labour MP said no one wanted to take industrial action but staff were seriously concerned about passenger safety and could not agree to losing a second “safety critical person”.

“Guards not only ensure that trains are safely dispatched, in providing a second pair of eyes to ensure that the doors are clear, but also, they are there to ensure passenger safety throughout their journey,” she said, urging Northern to come up with a “workable solution” to the deadlock.

Northern has said it is focused on delivering a better service and is prepared to guarantee conductor jobs and pay for the next eight years.