August 18th Demonstrations to oppose rail fare increases

Monday 10th August 2015

Circular No. National Policy NP/149/15/BO

To the Secretary Branches, Council of Executive members,
Regional Councils and Regional Offices.


Dear Colleagues,

August 18th Demonstrations to oppose rail fare increases

Rail fares for season tickets, and other regulated fares, have risen nearly three times faster than wages over the last five years. Between 2010 and 2015 fares increased by 25 per cent while average pay went up by just 9 per cent.

Rail fares are rising again, yet the cost of living isn’t get any cheaper. In January 2016 passengers will be asked to pay out even more for their rail fares. Passengers and taxpayers are paying a high price for the failures of rail privatisation.
On Tuesday 18 August RMT with joint union campaign Action for Rail, supported by community campaigners and Trades Councils will be protesting for an affordable railway under public ownership.   
There will be a major demonstration at London Waterloo and we have just received details of further protests at the stations listed below
London Waterloo – 7.15am – 9.30am
Ascot – 5pm – 6pm
Barnsley – 8am, with a demonstration at 11am
Barrow-in-Furness – 6am – 10am
Blackpool – Time TBC
Brighton – 6am – 8am
Brighton Preston Park – 6am – 8am
Bristol Temple Meads – 7.30am – 9am
Burton upon Trent – 4pm – 5.40pm
Chester – 8am – 9.40am
Crewe – 7.30am onwards
Derby – 7.30am – 8.45am
Dorchester – 7am – 9am
Eccles – 7.30am onwards
Glasgow Central – 5pm onwards
Hove – 6am – 8am
Huddersfield – Saturday 5 September – 11.30am – 1pm
King’s Lynn – 7am – 8.45am
Lewisham – Time TBC
Liverpool Lime Street – 7.30am onwards
Manchester Piccadilly – 7.30 onwards
Norwich – 7am – 9am
Pen Mill Junction – 6pm onwards
Preston – 7.30am onwards
Sheffield – Time TBC
Sherborne – 7am – 9am and 5pm onwards
Slough – 8.30am – 9.30am
Stafford – 7.30am – 9am
Stoke-on-Trent – 7.30am – 9am and 12pm – 1pm
Swindon – 5pm – 7pm
Telford Central – Time TBC
Weymouth – 7am – 9am
Windsor Central – 7.45am – 8.15am
Wolverhampton – 7am – 9am
Worcester Foregate Street – 7.30am – 9.30am and 4pm – 6pm
Worcester Shrub Hill – 7.30am – 9.30am and 4pm – 6pm
Yeovil – 9.40am – 2.40pm

Please check the Action for Rail website for updates and any late additions

RMT members and Action for Rail will mark the August RPI inflation announcement which will be used to calculate the fare increase by handing out postcards highlighting the huge cost of rail privatisation. The postcards will call on MPs to put people before profits and return our railways to public ownership.

All RMT members and activists are urged to attend on the day. All the unions have been invited so we want to ensure a colourful and visible RMT presence.

Please do all you can to build for these important demonstrations.

Thanking you in anticipation

Yours sincerely,

 
Mick Cash
General Secretary