TRANSPORT UNION RMT today blasted confirmation that the door has been opened for Tyne and Wear Metro to be privatised and handed over to a subsidiary of German rail giant Deutsche Bahn from April next year as a "betrayal of the people of the North East and electoral suicide in Labour's heartland."
NEXUS, the publicly controlled Metro operator, will confirm the plans at a press conference today for a takeover by preferred bidder, Deutsche Bahn subsidiary DB Regio, from the 1st of April 2010 but RMT and local campaigners have pledged to carry on the fight for public ownership of Tyne and Wear Metro.
Bob Crow, RMT General Secretary, said:
"This is the first major privatisation under Gordon Brown's leadership of the Labour Party. It is a betrayal of the people of the North East who overwhelmingly oppose this plan and is electoral suicide for Labour bang, smack in its heartland.
"This is a disaster for Tyne and Wear which will be felt right across the Region. We can expect this essential transport service to be bled dry in the dash for profits by the private company.
"This decision is a kick in the teeth for the vast majority of local people who have supported the campaign against privatisation.
"RMT will continue to fight for public ownership of the Metro in the interests of our members who operate the service and the people of Tyne and Wear who use it. "
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