TransPennine Express - Hull Paragon Station Staffing Levels

Our ref: HSR/2/4
Head Office Circular: NP/59/22
4th March 2022
To: The Secretary
ALL BRANCHES
REGIONAL COUNCILS

Dear Colleague,

TRANSPENNINE EXPRESS - HULL PARAGON STATION STAFFING LEVELS

Your Hull Rail Branch submitted the following resolution:

Hull Rail Branch members are concerned about the ongoing staffing levels at Hull Paragon Station in recent times. The most important role on the station is that of Station Supervisor/ Team Leader. This position not only operates the daily operational movements in and out of the station in conjunction with the local signal box and relevant TOC controls, but the position also acts as Evacuation Warden in the event of a need to evacuate and also as the Station Incident Officer (SIO) in the event of an emergency. The position is also normally the only first aid trained person on the station in what is a busy Interchange with large amounts of both train and bus passengers travelling through it daily. But it now seems that the station operator Transpennine Express is leaving this most important role uncovered on a regular basis. Only a few weeks ago There was no staff on duty from 1800 on a Sunday through till 0600 the next morning with many services still operating in and out of the station. This includes no RS ‘A’ staff either. Had there been an emergency then no staff would have been available to deal with it or to look after any stranded passengers or vulnerable passengers. And in more recent times one of our H&S reps was so concerned that the Station Supervisor position was not covered he requested the station to be closed whilst TPE found somebody to cover this vital role. This is something that TPE had been warned would happen if this continued to happen. This issue has been raised with TPE through many channels from local level through to company council level. Yet it continues and TPE continues to leave this position uncovered.

With this in mind the branch requests that the NEC instructs the General Secretary to write to the ORR with our branch concerns over the continuing rostering shortfall and our Health and Safety concerns and to also raise this with TPE themselves.

It does not bear thinking about what could happen if this continues.

At its meeting on 3rd March 2022, your National Executive Committee noted and adopted the following report from its Health and Safety Sub-committee:

The General Secretary is instructed to thank Hull Branch for its resolution and commend the RMT Health and Safety representative for his actions and to act in accordance with the resolution by writing to the ORR with the branch’s concerns over the continuing rostering shortfall and RMT’s Health and Safety concerns. The General Secretary is further instructed to raise this matter with TPE.

I am acting in accordance with this instruction and will keep members appraised of any further developments.

Please bring the contents of this circular to the attention of relevant members.

Yours sincerely

Michael Lynch
General Secretary