WIRRAL rail commuters face more disruption tomorrow as strike action takes place as part of an ongoing dispute over the planned introduction of driver-only trains.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers Union has announced strike action will take place this Friday, Sunday and Monday, September 1, 3 and 4.

The dispute relates to a new fleet of driver-only trains that will replace Merseyrail’s current 40-year-old rolling stock in 2020 which the RMT say will threaten the security of guards jobs on trains.

Union members will strike between 0001 hours and 11.59pm on Friday and from 0001 hours on Sunday until 11.59pm on Monday.

As a result trains will run from around 7am-7pm on Friday and Monday and from around 8am-7pm on Sunday. 

For a few hours in the middle of the day, there will be no trains.

West Kirby line trains will not call at: Bidston, Manor Road, Birkenhead Park, Conway Park, Moorfields, Lime Street Low Level and Liverpool Central stations.

New Brighton line trains will not call at: Moorfields, Lime Street Low Level and Liverpool Central stations. On Sunday, the first train will depart New Brighton at 8.21am.

Chester line trains will not call at: Bache, Bromborough Rake, Capenhurst, Chester, Eastham Rake, Moorfields, Lime Street Low Level and Liverpool Central stations. On Sunday, the first train will depart Hooton at 7.46am.

Commenting on the strike action Jan Chaudhry-van der Velde, Merseyrail's managing director, said: "The RMT say this dispute is about safety.

"But a recent industry report (RSSB, Risk associated with train dispatch, July 2017) states that: '… there is no additional risk for passengers boarding and alighting *DCO/DOO trains, and indeed that trains without a guard actually appear to lower overall dispatch related safety risk to passengers.' 

"The RSSB report corroborates the Office of Rail and Road’s (ORR) position on this matter."

RMT General secretary Mick Cash said: "RMT recognises the severe impact that the action will have but we are dealing with an employer that refuses to listen or engage with the union on the critical issue of safe rail operation and we ask the public to understand that we have no option but to take this high-profile action to force the company back to the negotiating table.

"RMT is calling for genuine talks to take place around a safe and sustainable deal that protects the future safety across Merseyrail services.

"The company should take up that offer of further talks as a matter of urgency.

"Merseyrail are completely ignoring the clear wishes of their own passengers, who overwhelmingly oppose the idea of Driver Only Operated trains on their network."

Full details on revised timetables for the strike are from www.merseyrail.org