HANDS OFF NORTHERN AND TRANSPENNINE

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: april 2015 :: RMTnews 7 R MT held protests outside a meeting of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority in Leeds last month against Northern and Transpennine Express(TPE) tender documents which includes the introduction of Driver Only Operation and other dangerous cuts. The union also warned local councillors in a letter that the three shortlisted bidders for the Northern Rail franchise are owned by Dutch, French and German state railways which means rail passengers will be used as a cash-cow to hold down fares and improve services in other states. The letter also revealed new RMT research showing that since 2007 Northern Rail has sucked passengers dry to pay £179 million dividends to shareholders while (TPE) has paid £213 million to shareholders. That’s just shy of £400 million which has been taken from railways in the North which could have been used to pay for fairer fares, new trains and more staff. The letter warns that government plans for a new ten year franchise for Northern Rail and nine years for TPE will continue the northern and TPE rail rip off for another decade. The warning for politicians came as RMT launched a new campaign for a publicly owned People’s Railway in the North, which would mean: • Every penny that is put into the railway will be invested in the railway • Funding fair fares, new trains and more services • More help for passengers: trains will keep their guard with proper staffing for stations and ticket offices • Democratic oversight by communities and councils, instead of rail policy in the North being dictated by private and foreign companies. RMT general secretary Mick Cash warned that the leadership of West Yorkshire Combined Authority was supporting the cuts despite the fact that most individual councillors are probably not aware of what it is being done in their name. "These plans are being spun in a pre-election stunt that they claim will modernise rail services in the North when in reality they will condemn passengers to poor quality, unsafe and destaffed services for years to come. "The tender documents allow bidders to axe guards and move to Driver Only Operation, compromising safety in the interests of private profit. "RMT is calling for a commitment from Labour that they will scrap the Northern rail carve up plans if elected and the union will make the continuing fight for jobs, safety and services a key election issue,” he said. HANDS OFF NORTHERN AND TRANSPENNINE FIGHTING: RMT Northern and Transpennine Express franchise campaign postcard hand-out at Carlisle Citadel Station with Lee Sherriff Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Carlisle