Beleaguered commuters are facing more disruption after the RMT union announced a fresh round of strikes in its increasingly bitter dispute with rail operator Southern.

Guards at Southern are to stage a five-day walkout from August 8 in protest at plans to remove the role of conductors from the company’s services.

Southern's services have been hit by delays and cancellations for several weeks because of industrial action.

The RMT said it had offered a three-month pause to action if the company agreed to suspend its proposals for driver-operated doors and allow talks to take place.

Southern, owned by Govia Thameslink Railway, is planning to implement changes to the role of conductors on August 21.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: "This action has been forced on us by the arrogance and inaction of Govia Thameslink and the Government, who have made it clear that they have no interest in resolving this dispute or in tackling the daily chaos on Southern.

"Our fight is with the company and the Government, who have dragged this franchise into total meltdown.

"We share the anger and frustration of passengers and we cannot sit back while jobs and safety are compromised on these dangerously overcrowded trains.

"It is disgraceful that neither the company nor the Government are prepared to engage and are looking to bully through the extension of driver-only operation and the attack on the guards set for 21st August.

"They should wake up and get round the table now as an urgent priority."

Guards will strike from Monday, August 8, until Friday, August 12.

Govia Thameslink Railway chief operating officer Dyan Crowther said: "It is unacceptable that passengers are being made to suffer five days of disruption all because the RMT is refusing to accept necessary change.

"We are offering all our onboard staff a job, as valued members of our future operation, with no reduction in salary.

"We value the work of our staff, who are trying their best to deliver service levels that passengers expect.

"The sooner we can introduce the essential modernisation that our railways desperately need, the sooner we can stop the RMT from holding passengers to ransom.

"Contrary to the RMT's accusation, we have always been open to talks and remain so.

"Only this week we spoke with the general secretary Mick Cash about further talks and he has been unwilling to enter into discussion."