SAY NO TO MCNULTY

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: january 2012 :: RMTnews 6 R MT members in Scotland will each receive a postcard to send to MSPs to oppose the proposed fragmentation of the Scotrail franchise. The Scottish government has launched a public consultation on the future of the franchise – Rail 2014 – which raises the prospect of fare increases, more fragmentation, cuts to services, stations and staff levels, more overcrowded trains, more commercial freedom for private operators and more taxpayers’ subsidy. Scotrail bosses are being given the green light to make even bigger profits on top of the astonishing £74 million in dividends that it has drained from Scotland’s railways in the last four years. The proposals will: • Break up the current unified operation into separate franchises • Cut services and staff and increase the number of interchanges • Deregulate fares and pass control of fares to private rail operators • Remove management of stations from the responsibility of a single operator or to Network Rail The break up and deregulation of Scotland’s passenger railways will be detrimental to the Scottish economy, leaving a fragmented system that is less efficient and more costly to both tax-payers and passengers. The Scottish government must retain accountability and control over the railway in order both to maintain the existing level of service provision and to work to improve rail passenger services in Scotland. • Send the enclosed Freepost postcard to Transport Scotland to voice your opposition to its proposals. • Write to your MSP to ask him or her to oppose these proposals • Email Scottish transport minister Keith Brown at Keith.Brown.msp@scottish.parliament.uk On top of inflation-busting rail fare increases of up to 30 per cent - or even more - over the next three years, the government’s McNulty review of the railways is calling for fewer, more overcrowded rail services, the axing of tens of thousands of railway staff and reduced safety standards. But like the bankers, railway bosses will continue to prosper while taxpayers foot the bill for the mess they have created. Railway companies are being given the green light to make even bigger profits on top of the astonishing £11 billion in dividends and contractual costs that has been drained from the industry since privatisation. RMT is asking you to send the Freepost postcard enclosed in support of Early Day Motion 2299 tabled by John McDonnell urging the government to reject the McNulty report and deliver an affordable railway run in the public interest. The government-commissioned McNulty review of the railways will worsen passenger services through the loss of thousands of frontline workers from trains, stations, ticket offices and safety-critical infrastructure and operational roles. McNulty’s proposals for greater commercial freedom for train operating companies will also result in cuts in services and more crowded trains. In addition the proposed the break-up of Network Rail will increase the fragmentation and inefficiency of the railways. The McNulty proposals are also in line with EU directives and ‘open access’ rules, “particularly with regard to the separation of railway infrastructure and undertakings and EU procurement and state aid constraints”. These EU procurement and state aid rules are behind the ongoing saga of the Thameslink train-building contact being handed to the German giant Siemens by the government instead of Bombardier based in Derby, threatening thousands of skilled jobs. Keep up with the campaign to Save Our Railways at www.rmt.org.uk (See SAY NO TO MCNULTY Please send off the postcard enclosed in this magazine to demand your MP supports Early Day Motion 2299 urging the government to reject the McNulty report SAVE SCOTLAND’S RAILWAYS