Transport for Wales – Short Formation Trains

Our ref: HSR

Head Office Circular NP/285/24

26^th November 2024

To: The Secretary

ALL BRANCHES

REGIONAL COUNCILS

 

Dear Colleague

 

TRANSPORT FOR WALES – SHORT FORMATION TRAINS

 

Your Cambrian branch submitted the following resolution: 

 

This branch is growing increasingly concerned about the operation of short formed Transport for Wales services, in particular between Shrewsbury and Birmingham although all services are being adversely affected. This is branch is already aware of staff being verbally assaulted as frustrations boil over as passengers discover they are unable to board their planned service or realise they are going to experience a severely overcrowded and uncomfortable journey of some length.  This situation has been ongoing for several months now but has been exacerbated due to recent events which have severely affected fleet availability and put staff and passengers alike under additional stress.

 

This branch is especially concerned as we are now rapidly approaching a season of several seasonal events in the Birmingham area which will exasperate the problem further, especially the Frankfurt Christmas market. This branch has seen no evidence of any serious contingency plans by TFW to solve this ongoing problem. A system of ad hoc issuing not to stop orders is now adding to passenger frustrations growing the risk of conflict with staff. This branch feels that TFW management seem to be hoping this problem will go away of its own accord when both staff and passengers alike know this will not be the case. This branch feels TFW are currently expecting too much out of the fleet they have available and an emergency timetable needs to be put in place now. An emergency timetable would allow everyone to know where things stand and to allow an adequately resourced train plan to be delivered with adequate resilience and capacity for the passengers trying to use it. We need consistent trains of 4 or more carriages operating to and from Birmingham.

 

The branch respectfully calls on the general secretary to urgently place our concerns before TFW leadership and demand constructive and concrete urgent plans to deliver adequately resourced train services to the West Midlands. Also, to raise via the appropriate level of machinery of negotiation. A statement from TFW “thanking customers for their patience and understanding” in no way goes far enough to deliver the urgent improvements that are needed on this route. In addition, we request the general secretary to issue a communication by email or text message as appropriate reminding all TFW Train Managers and Station staff of the work safe procedure and the right to stop work and of the unions support if they do.

 

Your lead officer has informed me that the short formation of services between Shrewsbury and Birmingham belies an on-going issue of rolling stock provision which although not unique to Transport for Wales are becoming an all-too-common occurrence on the network.  Although the lack of such provision is primarily a fleet issue such issues on services have obvious implications for our on board and station staff members who are left to deal with the frustrations of passengers who are often subjected to verbal abuse and in some cases assaults.

 

Your lead officer is currently in the process of raising these issues via the respective company councils and provided me with recommendations for your National Executive Committee (NEC) to consider.

 

At its meeting on 21^st November 2024 your NEC resolved as follows:

 

We instruct the General Secretary to take up actions in line with the branch resolution and the Lead Officer’s report, which are as follows:

 

• place the concerns of the branch before Transport for Wales leadership and demand constructive and concrete urgent plans to deliver adequately resourced train services to the West Midlands
• raise via the appropriate level of machinery of negotiation
• issue a communication by email/text message reminding all Transport for Wales Train Managers and Station staff of the work safe procedure and the right to stop work and of the unions support if they do
• write to Transport for Wales highlighting the concerns seeking an urgent assurance of the measures being considered/implemented to address these issues
• encourage our Transport for Wales Train Manager and Station Staff members to report any instances of verbal abuse, assault etc they may experience
• remind our Transport for Wales members of the right to refuse a duty on the grounds of safety in the event they feel their safety could be compromised due to these issues
• place further reports back before the RMT National Executive Committee for further consideration
• send an RMT mail/text to our Transport for Wales members to inform them of this decision. 

 

Branches and Regional Councils to be advised accordingly.

 

I am acting in line with these instructions. Please bring this circular to the attention of relevant members.

 

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

 

Michael Lynch

General Secretary