Train strikes could cause disruption to this year’s Grand National after Merseyrail failed to avoid fresh industrial action.
Talks took place between the RMT union and transport bosses in the wake of last week’s 24-hour walkout at plans to introduce driver-only operated trains (DOO).
All routes across the network encountered severe delays while Merseyrail were forced to halt their entire service for three hours as drivers refused to cross picket lines.
Merseyrail’s managing director Jan Chaudhry-van der Velde claimed further strikes would be ‘detrimental’ to next month’s Aintree festival with race goers potentially affected.
But the firm’s talks with the RMT, which represents 220 rail guards facing job threats from 2020, have ended with no agreements reached between the parties.
John Tilley, from the RMT, said: “We’ve given it our best shot today to talk about how we can move forward but it takes two to tango.
“The only thing they want to talk to us about is redundancy payments, redeployment and retraining.”
Merseyrail are pressing ahead with plans to introduce DOO trains as part of a £460 million overhaul of the region’s rail network.