Passengers could be put at risk if 1,500 rail jobs are cut by Network Rail, according to one industry body.

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Rail union RMT has confirmed that it will be balloting its members in the new year over industrial action relating to the potential redundancies created by the firm's reorganisation plans.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said that the plans to cut railway jobs are a "reckless gamble" with safety, suggesting that if anything even more rail jobs should be created.

"The past few days have shown that there are already too few staff to deal with the freezing conditions on the tracks," he added.

"Many of the problems that have hit the railways have been down to not enough engineers being available to unfreeze points and tracks."

The RMT represents more than 80,000 transport workers from almost every section of the industry, including rail workers and freight drivers.