GREATER Anglia staff will strike on December 27 as part of a dispute over train guards. 

The RMT union announced the plans today as part part of a coordinated response alongside South Western Railway members. 

The planned date comes in the middle of a ten-day disruption which will see all lines blocked between London Liverpool Street and Ingatestone between December 23 and January 1 as Crossrail work and overhead line repair work is carried out. 

Union bosses have also described meetings with Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling and the rail minister Paul Maynard as "contradictory", "confusing" and "lacking clarity", which they claim made it "extremely difficult to negotiate". 

The union revealed that it had met Transport Secretary Chris Grayling in a bid to resolve the disputes affecting five rail operators, but said there were "contradictory messages and confusion" from the minister and his department.

The union said it was told that the Government is not opposed to a second person on trains and it was up to the RMT and employers to reach an agreement and was offered further talks to discuss its concerns about driver-only trains.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said that within an hour of the meeting finishing, he received a "contradictory letter" from Mr Grayling asking that the union accepts the principle of driver-controlled operation.

Mr Cash said: "It's the continuing failure of the train companies and their political puppet-masters in Government to make any attempt whatsoever to resolve these disputes over rail safety that has led us to call action and the responsibility for the disruption that will be caused lays fairly and squarely at their door.

"At the meeting yesterday with the Secretary of State, Chris Grayling, and the Rail Minister, Paul Maynard, we were told that we could reach a deal with the employers to keep a second person on the train and we were also offered further talks to discuss our concerns around driver only trains and accessibility.

"But within an hour of that meeting I received a letter from Chris Grayling asking the union to accept the principle of driver only operation which as everyone knows reduces accessibility because there is no longer a guard to assist older and disabled passengers who need assistance.

"Astonishingly I have also been made aware that Chris Grayling has written to the train companies with the same letter.

"There is chaos and confusion in the rail industry surrounding the Government's position, which makes it almost impossible to negotiate, and I have written to Chris Grayling to express my concern at this lack of clarity and contradictory messages but also to offer further talks not least on the vital issue of accessibility.

"It really should be straightforward - the Scottish and Welsh Governments have agreed to keep the guards on our trains so there is no reason why the UK Government cannot as well."

Richard Dean, Train Service Delivery Director at Greater Anglia said: "We are obviously disappointed with the announcement today.

"We are hoping to resolve this dispute through discussions with RMT union officials.

"Prior to today’s announcement, we had arranged talks with the RMT for tomorrow.

"We will be going ahead with those talks as planned."

He added: "There is already a revised Christmas service in place on Wednesday 27 December, along with alterations due to engineering works.

"We will be aiming to run that revised service, but will confirm full details nearer the time. 

"Customers are advised to check before they travel using the Greater Anglia website or app.

“We value our conductors highly.

"We have guaranteed their jobs until the end of the franchise in October 2025.

"In fact, we will be recruiting additional conductors, as we are replacing all of our trains with brand new trains from 2019, which will enable us to run more services."