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Train drivers have defied union leaders' recommendation to accept a deal aimed at ending the long-running Southern Rail dispute.

It is the second time Aslef union members have opposed their leaders and rejected a deal designed to end the row.

The vote was 48.2 per cent in favour of the proposed agreement, with 51.8 per cent against, on a turnout of 75 per cent.

Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan said: "We understand and support the decision arrived at in a democratic vote by our drivers and will now seek new talks with the company and work to deliver a resolution to this dispute in line with the expectations of our members."

Andy Bindon, of Govia Thameslink Railway, Southern's parent company, said: "It's a hugely disappointing outcome for our passengers, particularly as the agreement carried the full support and recommendation of the Aslef leadership.

"We have shown a willingness and desire to find a solution to their dispute and we will now, once again, sit down with the union, understand the issues which led to this regrettable decision by the drivers and try and find a way forward to resolving it."

Passengers have suffered a year of disruption on some of the busiest routes in the country because of industrial action and other issues such as staff shortages.

Aslef leaders had recommended that the deal should be accepted, believing it is the best that can be achieved.

A previous proposed agreement was also surprisingly rejected by drivers.

Union leaders - who held almost three weeks of talks with Southern following the rejection - claimed today’s rejected deal would have given Southern a second, safety-critical person on trains except in exceptional circumstances such as staff affected by last-minute sickness or travel delays.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union is staging its 31st day of strike action against Southern on April 8, although the two sides are due to have more talks in light of today’s vote.

Anthony Smith, chief executive of the independent watchdog Transport Focus, said: "Southern passengers' hopes that they'd seen an end to strikes by Aslef train drivers has been dashed once again. They have had enough of the on-going industrial action.

"They have faced months of lost time, lost money and deep frustration at not being able to rely on the trains.

"It is vital that all parties in this dispute get back around the table to bring the services back to normal as soon as possible."