Workers at three rail operators are to stage a fresh 24-hour strike on the day of the Grand National in bitter disputes over staffing and the role of conductors.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union at Southern, Merseyrail and Arriva Trains North will walk out on April 8, causing fresh travel misery for hundreds of thousands of passengers.

Many people travel to the Grand National at Aintree in Liverpool by train, so any disruption to Merseyrail services will hit those going to the biggest race in the world.

The RMT also announced that a planned strike on Southern - owned by Govia Thameslink Railway - on April 4 had been moved to the 8th after the company offered fresh talks if the industrial action was suspended.

A strengthened train service often runs on Aintree Race days and a special timetable is put in place for the annual three-day Grand National festival.

Aintree station is across the road from Aintree Racecourse.

RMT members at the three companies staged a 24-hour strike last week, causing most disruption at Merseyrail after drivers refused to cross picket lines.

Talks between the company and the union broke down yesterday, with little sign of any progress in a row over plans to introduce new, driver-only trains, in 2020.

Mick Cash said: "It is disgraceful that Merseyrail wrecked a golden opportunity to engage in serious talks with the union.

"RMT reps set out key points for discussion that could have moved the dispute forwards, Merseyrail kicked that conciliatory approach back in our faces and made it crystal clear that all that they are interested in is the union signing a surrender document which gives them a free hand to rip apart the safety culture on the railway.

"It is that cynical and hostile stance from Merseyrail which has left us with no option but to put on this additional strike action.

"RMT recognises the severe impact that the action will have on Grand National Day but we are dealing with an employer that refuses to listen or engage with the union on the critical issue of safe rail operation and we ask the public to understand that we have no option but to take this high-profile action to force the company back to the negotiating table.

"Merseyrail are completely ignoring the clear wishes of their own passengers, who overwhelmingly oppose the idea of Driver Only Operated trains on their network.

"That pig-headed attitude has forced the union's hand and the idea that we would compromise on the fundamental issue of rail safety is absurd."

The Arriva dispute is over similar plans for driver-only operated new trains.

Mr Cash said: "The continuing refusal of the company to give a simple, lasting guarantee that protects the safety-critical role of the guard on their trains leaves RMT with no option but to announce this further day of strike action.

"This dispute, and the industrial action we have announced today, were entirely preventable if the company had listened to the union's deep-seated safety concerns, had taken them seriously, stuck to their earlier commitments and had put passenger safety before profit.

"The company's intransigence has forced our hand and given us to option but to announce this latest phase of industrial action. The disruption to services will be entirely down to Arriva Rail North reneging on their earlier commitments."

Richard Allan, deputy managing director of Arriva Rail North, said: "We are surprised that RMT has announced strike action for April 8 as we had been in contact with their officials in the last 24 hours to organise further talks.

"We have been clear that we want RMT, along with our people, our customers and stakeholders, to play a role in bringing our modernisation plans to life.

"We want to work with everyone on how we modernise the way we provide customer service and continue to run a safe and reliable railway."

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Jan Chaudhry-van der Velde, Merseyrail's managing director, said: "As we predicted, the RMT has sunk to a new low by inflicting their strikes on the Grand National.

"Damaging the company and its passengers is one thing, but damaging the whole of the Liverpool city region on one of its proudest and most important days of the year is impossible to understand.

"It cannot be right that the RMT executive, sitting in London, has taken an unnecessary decision that represents a barefaced attack on the reputation of our region.

"The Saturday of the Grand National is one of our busiest times of the year, and we will make every attempt to ensure that we successfully move around the high volumes of people who choose to travel with us that day.

"Timetables for the day are currently being developed and will be published very soon.

"We have put forward firm proposals about how we will look after our guards, who, subject to successful negotiations with the RMT, are being guaranteed work in the business, once the new trains are introduced in three years' time."