RMT demands end to privatisation chaos as Nat Express are thrown off the tracks.

RAIL UNION RMT today demanded an end to the "chaos, instability and waste" of rail privatisation following the government's announcement this morning that National Express will have their East Anglia franchise terminated in 2011.

RMT are calling on the government to strip National Express of their remaining C2C contract and to make it clear that the company are being kicked off the UK rail tracks for good following the shambolic collapse of their East Coast Main Line operation.

Bob Crow, RMT General Secretary, said:

"The rail franchise system has degenerated into the worst soap opera you can imagine, lurching from one chaotic episode to another and with the government staggering around like crack addicts desperate to hand over another fat wodge of taxpayers cash for their next privatisation fix.

"The time has come to call a halt to the rail privatisation disaster. The long slow death of National Express as a UK rail operator should trigger a policy shift back to public ownership which would bring the politicians into line with the wishes of over 70% of the British people in a recent poll.

"Passengers and staff alike are sick and tired of the waste, inefficiency and crisis management of rail privatisation that is at the heart of the National Express fiasco. This is taxpayer-sponsored rail chaos and RMT will be stepping up the campaign to bring it to an end and return to the principles of a publicly owned railway run as a public service."

RMT slams plans for a third gamble on privatisation of the East Coast Main Line

RAIL UNION RMT today slammed the government for acting like “compulsive gamblers” after ministers announced a timetable for a third punt on the privatisation of the East Coast Main Line following the renationalisation of the route only ten days ago.

Despite the recent collapse of the National Express contract to run the East Coast line, and the previous failure of GNER, the government today confirmed a schedule which will allow another private company to have a go operating the service from May 2011.

The government have also failed to trigger the cross-default clauses on National Express’s C2C service with that franchise being allowed to run its course until retendering and re-letting in November 2011.

Bob Crow, RMT General Secretary, said today:

“Despite the blatant failures of privatisation on the East Coast, and despite the massive costs and disruption to the taxpayer and the users of the route, the government have now waded straight back in like compulsive gamblers with plans to take another punt with a private operator in just eighteen months time.

“This obsession with rail privatisation defies all logic and will be a massive vote-loser for Labour at the next general election with their core supporters. Recent polls show that over 70% of the British people oppose rail privatisation and yet they are being ignored by the politicians who seem to think our transport services should be little more than a cash point for the big private operators.

“RMT will fight hard for the East Coast to remain in public ownership and for the rest of railways to be run as public services not as an opportunity for the train operators to make a fast buck at the travellers expense.”

Detailed plans confirm timescale and strategy for renationalising ECML

Detailed plans outlining the timescale and strategy for the renationalising of the East Coast Main Line following the collapse of the National Express franchise have now been received by rail union RMT.

A new publicly owned company, trading under the brand name East Coast, is scheduled to take over the operation of the route from the 12^th of December 2009.

Whilst welcoming the return to public ownership and control of the East Coast Main Line, RMT are demanding to know why National Express's other two routes, East Anglia and C2C, have not been included in the plans under the cross-default clauses which should see them reclaimed from the company.

RMT are also raising questions over why the creation of the new publicly owned East Coast company, at massive cost to the taxpayer and creating huge upheaval for staff and passengers, is only seen as a short term measure with the Government planning a third gamble on privatisation in mid-2011 despite the failures of both GNER and National Express on this important section of the rail network.

RMT have also lodged formal demands that no member of staff transferring from National Express to East Coast should suffer any detriment to their current benefits or terms and conditions.

Bob Crow, RMT General Secretary, said:

"Now that the government have set out a clear timetable for renationalising the East Coast Main Line from the 12th of December RMT is demanding an absolute assurance that this will be a permanent move that recognises the chaotic failures of privatisation on this prestige route on the UK rail network. It would be a total waste of taxpayers money and staff time and energy to have a third gamble on privatisation in 18 months time.

"We are also demanding that the government get off the fence and strip National Express of their two other franchises - C2C and East Anglia - under the cross-default clause. Anything else would be a reward for failure on a massive scale.

"Finally, we want a clear recognition of the hard work and dedication of staff who have kept the East Coast Main Line running throughout the privatisation fiasco and an assurance that there will be no attacks on their benefits or working conditions."

Renationalise the East Coast Mainline

RAIL UNION RMT today welcomed an announcement by Transport Secretary Lord Adonis that the East Coast Main Line franchise, currently run by National Express, will be renationalised this autumn for longer than originally expected but have called on the government to set a firm timetable for bringing the prestige route under public ownership on a permanent basis.

The impending collapse of National Express on the East Coast was first confirmed at the end of June and since then the company have been at the centre of intense takeover speculation. The government have also failed to confirm that the cross-default clauses will be applied, stripping National Express of their profitable East Anglia and C2C franchises.

An opinion poll commissioned by RMT earlier this month showed that 70% of the British people back public ownership of the East Coast Main Line.

Bob Crow, RMT General Secretary, said:

"The uncertainty and speculation over the future of the East Coast Mainline creates an atmosphere of instability for both and staff and passengers alike.

"While we welcome the statement from Lord Adonis that he will look beyond short-term, crisis measures for the line he should now set out a planned and secured future for the East Coast route by setting a firm timetable for public ownership on a long term basis. He should also take the opportunity to confirm that National Express's East Anglia and C2C routes will be renationalised under the cross-default rules.

"National Express is the second privatisation failure on the East Coast Mainline in just three years, following on from the collapse of GNER. It makes no sense to go to all of the expense of setting up a publicly owned service only to follow the same, failed, privatisation route a couple of years down the line. That's a waste of time and money and flies in the face of common sense and public opinion."

Renationalisation of East Coast Route

Dear Colleague,

RENATIONALISA

TION

OF EAST

COAST ROUTE

"RMT welcomes today's announcement by the Government on the renationalisation of the East Coast route but this shouldn't be a short term, crisis measure. It should be a long term solution to the chaos that privatisation has brought to the UK's most lucrative rail franchise. 

RMT's national AGM will send a clear message to the Government today that they should strip National Express of their other franchises and use this opportunity to begin the process of renationalising the rail network"

Bob Crow

RMT General Secretary

Renationalisation of East Coast Route

Britain's biggest rail union RMT today welcomed the renationalisation of the East Coast route.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: "RMT welcomes todays announcement by the Government on the renationalisation of the East Coast route but this shouldn't be a short term, crisis measure.

"It should be a long term solution to the chaos that privatisation has brought to the UK's most lucrative rail franchise.

"RMT's national AGM will send a clear message to the Government today that they should strip National Express of their other franchises and use this opportuinity to begin the process of renationalising the rail network," said Bob Crow.

John McDonnell MP, RMT Parliamentary Group Convenor, said:

"The public control of the East Coast Mainline franchise should be a stepping stone to full and permanent public ownership.

"This East Coast franchise should be used as a public sector benchmark - and if the public sector performs better then let's have other franchises back in public ownership too."