Joke is on passengers says RMT as 1st April marks two years of failure and broken promises on German owned Northern Rail Franchise
RMT members to hold week of protest at stations across the north over threats to safety, service and accessibility
1st April 2018 marks the two-year anniversary of the beginning of the Northern Rail franchise run by German State rail owned Arriva Rail North.
Instead of the much herald promises of improvement in services the franchise has been beset by problems. At the same time it’s German state rail owners stand to profit while passengers suffer.
RMT is warning passenger services, safety and accessibly are set to get even worse if Northern get away with their plans to introduce Driver Only Operation and remove guards from trains. RMT members are to hold a week of protest at stations across the north starting on 3rd April to highlight the dangers of driver only trains.
RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said,
“It’s bad enough that Northern passengers have not seen any sign of the promised improvements but it is unforgivable that Northern are about to make matters worse by getting rid of guards who do so much to assist passenger service, safety and accessibility.
“What is unbelievable is that because Northern is owned by German State railways the German railway will profit and get better on the back of these cuts to northern services and jobs. That’s no April fool, its true and the joke is well and truly on passengers.
“RMT members will be protesting at stations across the north this week to highlight our concerns about the attack on jobs and safety by the German state owned northern franchise and we will be calling on the Secretary of State for Transport to stop supporting these plans and reverse them.”
Notes to editors
RMT will be leafleting stations across the Northern Network from Tuesday 3rd April 2018 to Friday 6th April 2018.
TUESDAY – 3rd APRIL 2018
Outside Barrow in Furness Railway Station -05.15 to 07.15
Outside Carlisle Citadel Railway Station – 07.00 to 09.00
Outside Windermere Railway Station – 11.00 to 13.00
Outside Whitehaven Railway Station – 17.00 to 19.00
To be arranged – Workington and possibly Ulverston
WEDNESDAY – 4th APRIL 2018
Outside Buxton Railway Station -06.45 to 08.30
Outside Manchester Victoria Station – 07.30 to 09.30
Outside Wigan Wallgate Railway Station – 07.30 to 09.30
Outside Liverpool Lime Street Station – 16.00 to 18.30
To be arranged – Blackburn, Manchester Piccadilly (Blackpool North to be arranged later)
THURSDAY – 5th APRIL 2018
*Outside Leeds City Railway Station – 06.30 to 09.30
*Outside Wakefield Kirkgate Railway Station – 07.30 to 09.30
Outside Sheffield Railway Station – 16.00 to 18.00
To be arranged – Doncaster, York, Harrogate, Huddersfield, Skipton and Hull.
FRIDAY – 6th APRIL 2018
Outside Newcastle Central Station – 08.00 – 09.00
Outside Hexham Railway Station – 16.30 – 18.30
To be arranged – Middlesbrough
Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone.