Anthony Smith, national director of the Rail Passengers Council, called on the unions and train operating companies to get together to resolve the long-running dispute over safety and jobs.
"This is very disappointing news. The biggest impact will be, as usual, on passengers. Just when the railway was starting to get back together after Hatfield, this was not the news the public wanted."
Nearly all the 26 train companies will be hit by the strike but passengers on WAGN, Thameslink and Gatwick Express services will be spared because these trains are run by drivers only. Guards at Great Eastern Railway and on the Isle of Wight voted against striking, but the RMT said it will hold another ballot.
The union has been complaining for the past two years that the role of guards has been downgraded under changes to the rule book. Officials say guards are being reduced to the level of "KitKat sellers".
Under the new rule book, introduced by Railway Safety, a subsidiary of Railtrack, drivers have responsibility for the outside of a train and guards ensure the safety of passengers.
The union has been pressing for changes to the rule book.
The Association of Train Operating Companies said the unions were involved in drawing up the new rules in 1999. It has called for the RMT to agree to an independent assessment of the risks.
Bob Crow, assistant general secretary of the RMT, said he thought the public would back the strikes. He said: "People might say this is another 'jobs for life' campaign. Nothing could be further from the truth. It's about having a human being on the train who can help if something goes wrong."
George Muir, director general of the Association of Train Operating Companies, said: "The union should follow the established procedures for making changes to the rules and should not try to hold a gun to the heads of the industry and passengers."
