RMT reissues demand that Scotrail scrap plans to axe Guards.

RAIL UNION RMT today reissued its demand that Scotrail call an immediate halt to plans to extend Driver Only Operation on its services as it emerged that another train derailed on the Oban-Glasgow line at Falls of Cruachan 13 years ago due to a landslip. Incredibly, the same Guard, Angus MacColl, was on board both trains and was praised back in 1997 for his professional and calm response as he implemented emergency procedures.

The previous derailment occurred on the 5^th April 1997  just yards from Sunday evening's incident. 40 passengers were on board when the train hit a landslip of silts and boulders, derailing the train which, on this occasion, remained upright.

Due to a fault with the radio that night it was the Guard, Mr MacColl, who left the train and walked back to the nearest phone to contact the emergency services, ensuring the safe evacuation of passengers and securing the area.

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said:

In the light of Sunday evening's incident, and the previous derailment on the same section of track just thirteen years ago, it would be a scandal if First Scotrail and the Scottish Government pressed on with their cash-driven plans to axe the Guards on the new Airdrie-Bathgate route.

In incident after incident on our railways, going back many years, the safety-critical role of the Guard in an emergency situation like Sunday night's has been both recognised and praised by the investigating authorities.

The lesson is simple and is staring Scotrail in the face. In an emergency you need both the driver and the Guard, working as a team, to secure the incident and to implement safe, evacuation procedures.

Scotrail cannot be allowed to get away with praising Angus MacColl on one hand and then axing his colleagues from their services on the other. The political leaders at the Scottish Government cannot stand idly by while they try to do just that. We are demanding an immediate halt to the Scotrail plans for Driver Only Operation.

RMT calls for immediate halt to Driver Only Operation of trains

RAIL UNION RMT today called for an immediate halt to the rolling out of Driver Only Operation (DOO) on Scotrail train services as the investigations into last night's derailment in Argyll get under way.

RMT will be writing to the Scottish Government and Scotrail demanding a halt to their ongoing plans to introduce Driver Only Operation on the new Airdrie-Bathgate route – pointing out that last night's incident has once again confirmed the safety-critical role that the guard plays in an emergency situation and that it was only the experience and training of the guard, working with the driver, that avoided a major disaster.

The first car derailed and was left suspended with only the coupling of the second car preventing it from falling down the hillside in what would have been a major disaster. While the driver put out a fire in the carriage, the guard activated emergency procedures and the evacuation of the passengers and it was the quick thinking and team working of the two crew that led the 60 people on board to safety.

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said today:

"The guard and the driver on last night's 6.20pm service from Glasgow to Oban are true heroes who showed once again that you need trained and experienced crew to cope with an emergency situation. It is a miracle that a major disaster was avoided and the incident shows once again that corners cannot be cut when it comes to rail safety.

"If this train had been driver only operation it would have put the driver in an impossible and potentially lethal situation – attempting to extinguish a fire while safely evacuating a train just cannot be done and Scotrail and the Scottish Government now need to recognise that and call a halt to their plans to roll out driver only operation."

Costs of safety on new Scotrail service less than the annual pay of top director

RAIL UNION RMT today demanded an immediate reversal of plans to introduce Driver Only Operation (DOO) on the new Glasgow/Edinburgh via Airdie to Bathgate route as company accounts revealed that the top boss at Scotrail earns more than the additional cost of employing guards on the trains to ensure passenger safety.

First Scotrail financial returns show that the highest paid director made £429,274 in the 2008/2009 financial year compared to the £300,000 additional cost of employing guards on the new service.

RMT is continuing the public and political fight to stop the cash-driven plans for Driver Only Operation which the union says will compromise safety and breach contractual agreements to have two members of staff on Scottish rail services at all times.

Bob Crow, RMT General Secretary, said today:

"We now know that the price of safety on Scotrail's new service is less than their highest paid director earned in the last financial year. That is an appalling indictment on the company and a real reflection of their priorities.

"RMT's campaign against Driver Only Operation and in support of guards on the trains is pulling in solid support from politicians and the public alike. This latest news on Scotrail bosses pay will reinforce the widespread anger at the cash-driven moves to an under-staffed and unsafe service."

Scotrail admit they are prepared to breach contract over Driver Only Operation

RAIL UNION RMT today accused Scotrail of openly admitting to MSP's that they are prepared to breach contract terms over train staffing levels as the campaign over the planned introduction of Driver Only Operation (DOO) on the new Ediburgh/Glasgow via Airdrie to Bathgate route intensified.

Under their contract with Scottish Ministers the train operator is required to have a second person on the train at all times. However, in a new briefing to MSP's Scotrail admit that "….there may be times when we may choose to operate a train without a second person…"

RMT have pointed out today that with a guard on the crew, rather than a ticket examiner, a train would not be allowed to leave the station without that guard present ensuring at least two members of crew are present at all times to deal with safety and security issues.

Bob Crow, RMT General Secretary, said:

"Scotrail have let the cat out of the bag. We now know that their reason for failing to bring guards onto the new Aidrie/Bathgate service is so that they can run trains with just one member of staff. No guard, no ticket examiner just the driver up in the cab with all of the security and safety risks that such a policy brings with it.

"If there's a shortage of ticket examiners then Scotrail are saying that they will breach the contract with Scottish Ministers and run the trains anyway. When they've done it once we have no doubt that they will try and get away with it over and over again, creating a massive security and safety risk for the travelling public while at the same time jacking up their own profits by saving money on staffing levels.

"The only safe solution is guards on the trains. That guarantees the security of the public and means that Scotrail cannot play fast and loose with their contractual commitments to the Scottish people."

RMT officially launches campaign against Driver Only Operation on Scotrail

RAIL UNION RMT will be formally launching the "Keep The Guard On My Train" campaign, in response to First Scotrail's plans for Driver Only Operation on the new Glasgow/Edinburgh via Airdrie to Bathgate route, at Edinburgh's Waverley Station tomorrow – December 3rd:

Official launch of RMT's Scotrail "Keep The Guard On My Train" campaign

Thursday 3^rd December 2009 – 3.30pm

Edinburgh Waverley Station – Main Entrance – top of Waverley Bridge ramp

With Elaine Smith MSP and Phil McGarry RMT Scottish Regional Organiser

The campaign, aimed at mobilising public opposition to the extension of driver only train operation in Scotland, will focus on the increased safety risks of removing guards which were highlighted in the Cullen Inquiry following the Ladbroke Grove rail crash. Guards are fully trained in operational safety and emergency procedures including dealing with derailments.

Elaine Smith MSP has tabled a motion in the Scottish Parliament backing the RMT's arguments and seconded by former First Minister Jack McConnell and Transport Minister Sarah Boyack.

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said:

"The launch of our "Keep The Guard On My Train" campaign in Scotland will give the public a real chance to find out what Driver Only Operation on the new Scotrail service, and across the rest of the network, really means for passenger safety and security.

"We cannot have a situation where travellers are left vulnerable because corners are being cut on staffing levels in order to maximise profits. RMT will be mobilising public and political support with the objective of making sure that passengers have the reassurance of having a trained guard close at hand when they are using Scotrail's new service."

 

Scottish Parliament motion tabled by Elaine Smith MSP

"That the Parliament welcomes the new rail service between Glasgow and Edinburgh via the Airdrie to Bathgate route and the continued electrification of the railway in Scotland; is alarmed, however, that proposals to remove the guards from this service and introduce driver only operation (DOO) are coupled with the reopening of this route; is deeply concerned that this will increase safety risks because passengers will not benefit from the protection of having a guard responsible for the safe running of the train, including controlling the doors and emergencies such as driver incapacity, failure of train safety systems and derailments; further shares the view of the STUC Women's Conference that the proposed introduction of DOO on the service demonstrates that the safety concerns of women passengers have not been adequately addressed; is further concerned that this decision breaches previous assurances to the trade unions that there would be no extension of DOO in Scotland and believes that this could be the thin end of the wedge leading to the removal of guards on other routes; considers that retaining the guards would cost less than the salary of First ScotRail's highest-paid director and less than 5% of the company's most recent post-tax profits, and therefore urges the Scottish Government and First ScotRail to put safety and passengers before profit and keep guards on these services."