RAILWAY workers are set to stage two 24-hour strikes this October in a row over doors.
The staff are making a stand against plans for driver-only operation on new services.
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) at Chiltern Railways will walk out on October 10 and October 17.
The union said its members voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action over plans to introduce driver-only operation (DOO) on East West Rail services.
The dispute centres on the first stage of the new railway, which will run between Oxford and Milton Keynes.
RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey said the proposed operation represented a “significant risk” to safety and to existing train manager roles.
He said: “RMT will not accept the watering down of safety on the rail network.”
But Chiltern Railways has rejected the suggestion that the new services will compromise passenger safety.
Interim managing director Tony Baxter said: “We have run most of our trains with the driver in control of the doors for decades, safely and as approved by the independent rail regulator.
“It also means over 100 new permanent jobs at Chiltern, and no changes to the roles of existing colleagues.”
He added that the operator expected to run the “vast majority” of its services on both days, with the timetables for the strike dates confirmed shortly.
The operator also stressed that every East West Rail service will have two people on board.
This will include the driver and another member of staff responsible for looking after passengers, checking tickets and helping people who need assistance.
The company said it remains committed to working with the RMT to resolve the dispute.