Workers at three train operators will stage a fresh 24-hour strike on the same day in the bitter disputes over staffing and driver-only trains.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union at Southern Railway, Merseyrail and Arriva Rail North will walk out on May 30, the day after the next Bank Holiday.

The Southern dispute started over a year ago, with RMT members having already taken 31 days of strike action, while previous stoppages have also hit Merseyrail and Arriva Rail North over plans for driver-controlled operation on new trains being introduced in 2020.

mfl Talks were held on Monday between the RMT and Southern, without any breakthrough to the row over changes to the role of conductors to on-board supervisors (OBS).

The union said it had been told by the company that more than 8,200 trains a year will run without an OBS on board.

General secretary Mick Cash said: "RMT members on Southern Rail have been fighting for safety and access to rail services for over a year now. We have met with the company but there is a massive gap of over 8,000 trains a year the company has confirmed will run without an OBS on board.

"That represents a serious safety and accessibility risk and short of the guarantee of a second safety qualified member of staff on Southern services we have no option but to confirm a further day of strike action.

"It is now down to Southern, and the contract holders in the Government, to face up to their responsibilities and engage in genuine and serious talks that address our issues."

The RMT accused Merseyrail and Arriva Rail North of rejecting attempts to resolve the disputes over driver-controlled trains due to come into service in 2020.

Mr Cash said the RMT had proposed to Merseyrail that a safety working group be set up to discuss the principle of having a second, safety-critical person on all trains.

The union had suggested to Arriva that the Department for Transport should be invited to join talks to discuss its plans, but this had also been turned down, said Mr Cash.