POLITICAL rivals are going head-to-head over the actions of a railway workers' union.

Tim Young, deputy leader of Colchester Council has called for the authority to encourage train operator Greater Anglia to compromise with the RMT in a dispute which centres on door guards.

In a motion which will go to a full meeting of Colchester Council, the Labour leader calls for a similar agreement to be reached on the Great Eastern Mainline to that which has been put in place in Scotland.

Abellio, which owns Greater Anglia, has guaranteed conductors will be on all new trains in Scotland, which Mr Young says will improve the service as well as passenger safety and security.

The Labour boss also calls on the Government "not to block such an agreement".

Will Quince, Conservative MP for Colchester has written to the council ahead of the meeting.

He said: "As part of this new franchise, Greater Anglia has committed to investing over £1 billion in new rolling stock. Fast, modern, reliable carriages.

"This will make a massive difference to the quality of journeys from Colchester.

"This is why I and other MPs who are fighting so hard for the investment in our rail line that is so needed are so disappointed in the behaviour of the RMT. Rather than working with us to improve services, they are engaging in scaremongering."