NO TO RAIL CUTS IN SCOTLAND

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: march/april 2024 :: RMTnews 15 S cotland’s First Minister was urged to come clean over rail infrastructure cuts as RMT members rallied outside the Scottish parliament Holyrood recently, writes Conrad Landin. Humza Yousaf was challenged by Richard Leonard, the convener of the RMT parliamentary group in the Scottish Parliament, who highlighted the "£315 million cut to Scotland’s safety-critical rail infrastructure spending”, along with 70 redundancies and a further 80 jobs put at risk. The Scottish Government's funding settlement for the next five-year Railway Control Period 7 (CP7), from 2024 to 2029, will see Network Rail Scotland’s budget for vital railway infrastructure work cut by £315 million - 13 per cent - compared with the previous five-year period. Though rail infrastructure in Scotland remains under Network Rail control, the infrastructure budget is set at Holyrood and not at Westminster. At First Minister’s Questions, Leonard asked: “Which is correct: the Government’s assertion to Parliament that rail infrastructure spending is rising, or the view of experienced railway workers who insist that Scotland’s rail infrastructure budgets and jobs are being axed?” Mr Yousaf said that his government “appreciated and shared” the union's view “that rail safety should absolutely be prioritised” but insisted: “We do not agree with its assertion that rail infrastructure funding is being cut”. Outside the Scottish Parliament, RMT members held a ‘Rail Cuts Cost Lives’ rally urging the reinstatement of the £315 million cut. RMT assistant general secretary Eddie Dempsey said that historically rail cuts had been catastrophic yet history was repeating itself. “We are now seeing a £1 billion real terms cut in terms of core renewals work on the railway in Britain. “Network Rail is not going to carry out a single yard, inch or foot of track renewals work over the next five years. They are going to do some renewals work but only by private contractors at a far greater cost and far less efficient rate. RMT Scotland regional organiser Gordon Martin also said that the cuts were a serious matter. “When things go wrong on the rail infrastructure, they go spectacularly wrong and unfortunately people lose their lives such as at Carmont near Stonehaven, where people lost their lives due to infrastructure failures. The derailment at Carmont occurred on August 12, 2020, causing the deaths of driver Brett McCullough, conductor Donald Dinnie and passenger Christopher Stuchbury. Its immediate cause was a “washout” following heavy rainfall. Network Rail admitted a series of failings - but got off with a fine of just £6.7 million. Monica Lennon MSP, who serves on the Scottish Parliament’s transport committee, commended RMT for its campaigning to keep members and the public safe. “It’s frustrating that you have to stand outside Parliament, time and time again, fighting for policies and investment that is absolutely common sense,” she said. Scottish Labour transport spokesman Alex Rowley told the rally: "If we are serious about getting more people off their cars and onto public transport then that public transport needs to be of the highest standard and it has to be safe”. NO TO RAIL CUTS IN SCOTLAND PROTEST: Eddie Dempsey, Monica Lennon and Gordon Martin