Southern workers and and passengers to protest as Virgin East Coast strike looms

The union said it was "within an inch" of reaching an agreement last week and repeated its claim that the Government had "sabotaged" any deal, again naming Transport Department official Peter Wilkinson as "directing operations from outside".

The Campaign for Better Transport and a Southern passenger group, the Association of British Commuters, plan to march to the DfT later on Wednesday to call on the Government to take urgent action to help resolve the row over plans to change the role of conductors.

Industrial relations on the railways worsened after RMT members on Virgin East Coast voted to strike in a separate dispute over jobs, working conditions and safety, backing walkouts by 84%, with nine out of 10 supporting other forms of industrial action.

The company said it will run a full timetable during any strike.

The two sides are in dispute over staffing changes, which the company says would have no impact on safety and would not lead to compulsory job losses.

The RMT says a package of cuts was being "bulldozed through" by Virgin East Coast, adding it will now consider the ballot result for its 2,000 members.

General Secretary Mick Cash said: "RMT will not sit back while nearly 200 members' jobs are under threat and also conditions and safety are put at risk by a franchise which is clearly in financial trouble."

David Horne, Virgin Trains managing director on the East Coast, said: "We have worked hard to ensure there are comprehensive contingency plans in place and I want to reassure our customers that the timetable will be unaffected, should any strike go ahead.

"The changes we are making are part of the customer-centric revolution we have planned for the East Coast.

"We're already half-way through our complete refresh of our trains with all new interiors being rolled out, and in two years will have our brand-new Azuma trains coming into service.

"Alongside more modern trains, we want a modern customer service proposition - one that focuses firmly on the customer.

"With our guarantees that there will be no compulsory redundancies, no impact on safety and a full timetable in place during any action, we urge the RMT not to call a strike which will cost its members pay for no reason, and to rejoin us around the negotiating table."

Southern called for fresh talks as the second day of strike action caused more travel misery for hundreds of thousands of passengers.

The train operator, part of the giant Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) franchise, said it would meet the RMT "any time, any place, anywhere" to end the walkout.

Mr Cash responded by asking for any talks to be held without any preconditions.

The union said a deal was being discussed based on an offer made last week by ScotRail in a similar dispute which led to strikes being suspended.

Mr Cash said: "We were within an inch of making progress towards boxing off a deal with Southern in Acas talks on Friday that was based on the offer from ScotRail, an offer that enabled us to suspend all industrial action in the ScotRail guards dispute.

"We were just getting into the detailed wording when suddenly the plug was pulled and our legs were kicked from under us.

"We have it on good authority that the deal, which would have enabled us to suspend the Southern strike action this week, was sabotaged by the Government with their director of rail, Peter Wilkinson, directing operations from outside the talks."

The DfT said Mr Wilkinson had played no part in the talks.

GTR chief executive Charles Horton said: "Everyone is sick and tired of this pointless, needless and senseless strike, which is so damaging to people's everyday lives and the South East economy, and causing undue disruption and hardship to customers and employees.

"I urge the RMT to come back to the table to talk, have constructive and productive discussions on the way forward and shake hands on a deal."

:: A subsidiary of Govia was shortlisted in April for the West Midlands rail franchise, which it currently operates.

The Transport Department said that remained the case, with a so-called invitation to tender document being finalised before the next stage is held.

The new franchise starts in October 2017.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said: "There is absolutely no excuse for the RMT strikes which are designed to stop essential improvements of passengers' journeys.

"Passengers on Southern rail services are being made to suffer unnecessary inconvenience and disruption to their journeys because of the actions of RMT who are holding them to ransom.

"It has to stop. The union should accept the generous offer being made to them by the train operator and get their members back to work.

"Passengers on this route want a timetable they can rely on, but they also want more modern, spacious services, that is exactly what the train operator is trying to deliver, but is being blocked by the RMT.

"Workers' jobs and salaries have been protected, but the RMT is still determined to stand in the way of progress.

"I urge the union to get back around the negotiating table and demonstrate that they are a union with passengers' best interests at heart.

"Passengers want a modern 21st century service, it's what they deserve."

Southern's passenger services director Alex Foulds said: "As we approach this evening's peak period, 91% of our trains are arriving at their destinations on time, which is good news for those planning their journeys home.

"We expect our trains and stations will be busy this evening but we ask our passengers to bear with us while we work hard to get everyone home."

Meanwhile, a signalling problem at Woking in Surrey disrupted South West Trains services in the evening rush hour.

Trains had to stop and gain verbal permission to pass signals, causing delays of up to 30 minutes.

SWT said trains may be delayed, altered or cancelled at short notice.