THE next Labour government will ensure there is a guard on every train in Britain, the party has vowed.

Labour pledged to end driver only operations (DOO) on rail franchises and to guarantee that a second fully qualified member of staff will be on all trains to assist boarding and carry out safety duties.

They claim that the Tory government’s attempts to shift to DOO represents a “discriminatory practice” and limits the travelling potential of disabled and elderly people.

Instead, Labour in government will aim to make every rail service accessible to all, improving assistance for people across the network.

The plans of train operators and successive Tory governments to push forward services without guards has been met with stiff resistance by rail unions.

A long-standing strike to defend guards by the RMT has proven to be the longest industrial dispute since the 1984-85 Miners’ Strike, and continues today.

As a result of the strikes, several regional train operators have backed away from plans to implement DOO, while others — such as West Midlands Trains and South Western Railways — are still in dispute with workers.

Shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald said: “The railway should liberate people and enable everyone to play their full role in our society and economy.

“But the Conservative Party’s expansion of DOO has knowingly degraded the rights of older and disabled passengers in the face of protests from passenger and disabled peoples’ groups.”

Shadow minister for disabled people Marsha de Cordova said: “The Tories’ expansion of [DOO] is an attack on the rights of disabled passengers who have been denied of the ability to travel spontaneously.

“Government policy discriminates against and excludes passengers who require assistance boarding trains.”

RMT general secretary Mick Cash praised the pledge, reflecting that the union’s guards have “been absolutely right from the very start to warn of the dangers” of DOO to safety, security and accessibility.

He said: “Ending [DOO] and putting safety-critical guards back on trains is a modern, transformational policy that will provide real change, especially for disabled and vulnerable passengers.”

Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan said his union is “delighted” by the policy.

“Passengers want a guard on the trains on which they travel — to help disabled people get on and off, protect passengers, and evacuate the service in an emergency — as do drivers and platform staff.”