INVEST IN RAIL, DON'T CUT BACK - TSSA
16 January 2003
TSSA, Britain’s second biggest rail union, has criticised the Strategic Rail Authority’s decision to cut back on services to ease rail congestion.
The union said that the SRA should be seeking more direct investment and control in the network, so money wasn’t being wasted on contracting.
TSSA General Secretary Richard Rosser commented: “The appropriate response to railway congestion is not to cut the number of trains running on the network, but to invest more to increase the railway network’s capacity.
“This crisis has occurred because of inadequate past investment and privatisation. Railtrack failed to maintain its infrastructure properly, partially because it was part of a fragmented industry where individual companies pursued their own corporate interests.
“Costs have exploded due to the ‘contractor culture’ – too much contracting out, too many consultants and too much bureaucracy needed to co-ordinate the disparate parts of a once fully integrated and more efficient system.
“Only structural reform will reduce costs. This combined with proper investment in network enhancement and new technology to increase capacity will raise performance.
“Richard Bowker shouldn’t be cutting services, he should be telling Transport Secretary Alistair Darling how to reintegrate the railway so his original target to increase passenger kilometres by 50% can be delivered. Does this mean that the SRA is going back on the commitment pledged in its last strategic plan? At the very least, the travelling public needs to have this clarified.”
ends
For further information, please contact:
Mike Katz, TSSA Head of Communications (020) 7529 8033 or 07956 925969 (mobile)
Notes to Editors
1. TSSA represents 32,000 members in administrative, clerical, managerial, professional and technical jobs in the railways, buses, the London Underground, the travel trade, canals, ports and ferries, and road haulage.
