DEUTSCHE BAHN SHUTS WREXHAM AND SHROPSHIRE RAILWAY

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: february 2011 :: RMTnews 5 G erman state railways Deutsche Bahn has closed the Wrexham, Shropshire and Marylebone Railway Company (WSMR), Britain’s most popular railway. The last WSMR service left London Marylebone bound for Wrexham at 18.30 on January 28, 2011, leaving 55 members of staff out of work. The rail company was an “open access” train operator set up about five years ago following a successful campaign led by RMT Wrexham branch with support from the Welsh Assembly government and Department of Transport following a sustained campaign by communities and businesses in Mid and North Wales for a direct train to London other than Virgin's West Coast service. The decision to close the company was made on the same day that rail user watchdog Passenger Focus announced that it had been voted best operator by passengers, with a 96 per cent satisfaction rating. Deutsche Bahn’s local and regional service provider, DB Regio, owned WSMR as part of the deal to win the franchise to run Chiltern Railways in 2008. RMT is demanding an inquiry into how DB got away with pulling the plug on the service potentially leaving £1 million of public investment on infrastructure at the Wrexham end of the route to rot into the ground. RMT general secretary Bob Crow said that the closure of the service was an act of corporate vandalism and a bitter blow to the UK rail industry. “It is a scandal that a giant company like Deutsche Bahn can play fast and loose with our rail services in this way and then cut and run when they decide the profit margins aren't fat enough for their liking. “The government should now step in and nationalise the route to protect both the jobs and the popular services and there should be a full inquiry into how this operation, set up with Welsh government and taxpayer support, has been ground into the dust. “Public ownership would protect that public investment rather than allowing the private rail asset strippers to walk away from the wreckage,” he said. RMT supported the call from the union’s parliamentary group in Early Day Motion 1363 to call for a full public inquiry into this issue and will continue to campaign to restore the service. It has also written to local authorities, the Welsh Assembly and MPs who have constituencies along the route asking them to support the reintroduction of the service. DEUTSCHE BAHN SHUTS WREXHAM AND SHROPSHIRE RAILWAY LAST TRAIN: Some of the 55 Wrexham, Shropshire and Marylebone Railway Company staff facing redundancy on the last service out of London Marylebone bound for Wrexham at 18.30 on January 28 2011.