Commuters are preparing to launch legal action against the Government over its handling of the troubled Southern rail franchise.

The Association of British Commuters (ABC) began crowdfunding today and has sought seek legal advice as it looks to seek a judicial review of the Department for Transport decision-making in relation to the rail company that it said was making passengers’ lives a “daily misery”.

The campaign group announced its plans two days before comes before the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union’s is set to begin its latest 48-hour-strike in a long-running dispute over the future of conductors on Southern’s trains.

Commuters have endured months of delays, cancellations and overcrowding on Southern’s trains, with disruption continuing even after the rail operator stripped 341 services from its daily timetable in a bid to ease problems.

The Go-Ahead Group, which co-owns Southern, reported a profit of nearly £100m last week – a day after the Government announced a £20m fund to bail out the beleaguered rail company.

A spokeswoman for the ABC said today: “For over 18 months we have experienced severe delays and dangerously overcrowded trains and platforms, which form a major compromise to passenger safety “We have watched the situation deteriorate for months, and still the Department for Transport have abstained from their responsibility to ensure safety and service by intervening in a franchise that is quite clearly falling apart. We have no confidence in the latest £20m initiative by the DfT, which appears to be no more than a sticking plaster over a failing but highly profitable private company; paid for by tax payers’ money.

“It is time to step up and use the law as the moral instrument the travelling public needs. We have no interest in launching a legal case after someone is seriously hurt - we must act now to prevent that possibility. To wait and continue to watch the situation deteriorate is no longer an option if any of us want to sleep at night.”

The ABC has sought legal advice from Devonshires Solicitors and specialist lawyers as it prepares to launch a judicial review bid. It is looking to raise £25,000 to cover the legal action.

A Department of Transport said: “It would not be appropriate for us to comment on speculation about potential legal action.”

RMT guards will stage a 48-hour strike on Wednesday and Thursday.

Mick Cash, general secretary of the RMT, said: "The guards’ action this week on Southern goes ahead as planned. RMT remains available for serious talks but [Southern’s parent company] Govia Thames Railway clearly have no interest in resolving the dispute and it is also clear that the Government are propping them up financially and politically.

"Just a fraction of the £100 million the GTR parent company is hoarding in profits would be enough to keep a guard on the Southern trains, keep the trains safe and resolve the dispute. It is absolutely right to call for the Government to intervene and to hold those responsible for this continuing shambles to account."

Alex Foulds, Southern’s passenger services director, said: “Passengers will be rightly dismayed that the RMT has chosen to disrupt services yet again. “This two-day strike will achieve nothing. After many months of trying to reach agreement with the RMT, we are now moving forward with our plans for the benefit of customers and we urge the RMT to join us in putting passengers first.

“We have guaranteed all our onboard staff a job until the end of the franchise, with no reduction in salary. Our plans are safe, and will mean fewer cancelled trains.

“We are sorry that our passengers will once again suffer because of RMT intransigence, and we urge the union to work with us to find a sensible way forward.”

To donate to the ABC’s crowdfunding appeal click here.