Doors opened on wrong side of train during rail strike

Passengers were put at risk when the doors of a train opened on the wrong side during a strike by rail workers, a union has claimed.

The incident happened on Tuesday, the first day of strike action by RMT union members, aboard the 13:50 BST service from Peterborough to Ipswich.

Mick Cash, the RMT's general secretary, said Greater Anglia had "jeopardised safety" by having stand-in conductors.

Greater Anglia said it was investigating the incident.

It happened as RMT union members began strike action over plans to make train doors driver-only-operated.

Greater Anglia said it had been training backroom staff for several months so they could fill in for conductors during the two 24-hour strikes, the second of which started earlier.

"Our stand-in conductors have been fully trained and had to pass safety, competency and medical tests," a spokeswoman said. "They safely operated over 500 services [on Tuesday]."

It is understood the doors were incorrectly opened when the service arrived at Ipswich. Two passengers alighted but no-one was hurt.

Mr Cash said: "Greater Anglia are determined to break the strike at any costs by using staff who have had a few days training rather than the four months required by the company's own standards."

He said other incidents had been reported to the union, which would be writing to the safety regulator.

"They are trying to hide the threat to safety from staff and passengers alike and we are therefore calling for full public disclosure of all safety breaches," he said.

Union members at Southern, Merseyrail and Arriva Rail North are also striking.

Union members at South Western have also voted to strike, but any action first needs to be agreed with the executive body.