Ask yourself these questions

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Regarding this week's train strikes about Driver Only Operation and the role of the guard/conductors.

Ask yourself these questions:

Do you and/or your family:

• Want to travel on a train where the driver is concentrating on the route ahead, signals and electronic warnings rather than worry about what is happening in the carriages behind them?

• Want to travel on a train where there is a Safety Critical member of staff aboard (current guard/conductor), who is trained in understanding the hazards associated with the railway, trained in protecting the train in an emergency and trained to deal with accidents, fires and train evacuations if required?

• With an increase in passenger assaults and public order offences reported in the last year, do you want to know that there is a presence aboard the train in helping to moderate behaviour on the train and can contact assistance if required?

• Want to see the risk assessment that proves that Driver Only Operation is safer, considering that there have been 10 serious incidents since 2011 of which 8 were DOO? One at present 20/07/15 being investigated by the Rail Accident Investigation Board (RAIB). Also how many near misses have not been reported?

• Want to have someone on the train who can give the correct information on the best value ticket to buy and travel information rather than have to buy a ticket from a machine?