A TRAIN boss has guaranteed the jobs of their conductors for the next eight years.

Richard Dean, train service delivery director for Greater Anglia, spoke out in the wake of strike threats from the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers.

The union has balloted for strike action over the possible loss of conductors on trains.

The concerns were sparked by the expansion of Driver Only Operation trains, on which train doors at stations are operated remotely by the driver, rather than by a conductor.

Around 60 per cent of Greater Anglia trains are Driver Only Operation.

The company expects its number of Driver Controlled Operation (DCO) trains in in the next few years as a fresh fleet of 169 trains arrive in 2019 as part of a £1.4 billion investment.

DCO trains are similar to a Driver Only Operations as the driver opens and closes the doors, however, a second member of staff, in this case a conductor, is also on board.

Greater Anglia currently employs 222 conductors, along with seven conductor managers.

These conductors are present on around 40 per cent of services including those between Clacton and Colchester, Harwich and Colchester, and Sudbury and Marks Tey. They also operate on a number of peak time services between Witham and Braintree.

Unions worry the increase in Driver Only Operation trains and the reduction of responsibility given to conductors will lead to them being axed from trains across the region.

However, Greater Anglia bosses have moved to assure customers, unions and staff this does not mean the end of the conductor.

Mr Dean said: “We have given guarantees we will keep our conductors until the end of this current franchise in October 2025.

“There are not many people that can say they have a guaranteed job for the next eight years.

“This is not about watering down a conductor’s role, it is about enhancing it.

“We are moving to a train model where the driver opens and closes the doors at every station which frees up conductors to give great service to our customers.

“Currently they might be half way down a train helping a customer but they have to leave the customer to return to the door panel to open or close doors.

“With the new trains this situation would not occur.

“What I would also add is both the Office of Rail and Road and the Railway Safety and Standards Board have reviewed the driver-only operations and have found it to be safe.

“We are not getting rid of people. We value the work conductors do and will continue to safety train them and employ more with the new range of trains arriving.”