NORTHERN rail workers will be entering their 47th day of strike action today against driver-only trains.

The RMT has claimed that Arriva Rail North (ARN) is blocking talks to guarantee a safety-critical guard on Northern services.

The union believes that a trained guard on every service is crucial to passenger safety, and maintain that demand.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: “RMT members will be standing solid again tomorrow for the 47th day in support of a safe and accessible railway for all in the long-running fight to put public safety before private profit.

“It comes in the week that Northern slumped to second bottom in the league tables on passenger satisfaction and speculation ramped up about a fire sale of the Arriva operation by their owner Deutsche Bahn.

“The company must guarantee a safety-critical guard on every train with the full suite of competencies.”

The RMT will also be lobbying the Transport for the North conference in Chester next Thursday.