The RMT said it had tabled an offer which would have seen conductors become on board supervisors but retain their safety-critical duties for a transitional period while a long term solution was found. 

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said he was 'angry and disappointed', and that there had been a 'real chance of getting a negotiated solution on track'.

GTR chief executive Charles Horton said the RMT offer 'didn't come anywhere near our goals of modernising our train service'.

He continued: "All they have offered is a superficial rebadging in name only. What the RMT want to do is retain their power and control by insisting our trains cannot run under any circumstances without a conductor on board."

Southern said its modernisation plans would now go ahead. 

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