17 September 2015
RMT Press Office
RMT calls for First Great Western compensation millions to be used to improve new Intercity Express Trains.
17th September 2015
IMMEDIATE
RMT calls for First Great Western compensation millions to be used to improve new Intercity Express Trains
RAIL UNION RMT today called for the £ 18,813,455 million windfall handed to First Great Western (FGW) by Network Rail – as compensation for delays to its services – to be used for modifications to buffet cars and door controls on the new high speed intercity express trains that the company will be bringing into service.
The new Hitachi trains are modular in design and can easily be refitted to include buffet cars and new door controls, however, FGW has insisted that the funds are not there for the work to be carried out.
After a similar RMT-led campaign over the introduction of Hitachi high speed rail stock on East Coast, buffet cars are being introduced by that company. The union is campaigning for the same to happen on FGW.
This would help bring to an end a long running dispute between the union and FGW over the proposed scrapping of buffet cars and the potential ending of the use of guards on trains with the introduction of driver only operated trains.
Mick Cash, RMT General Secretary said:
“The revelations of the scale of compensation that First Great Western and other companies have received from Network Rail highlights the insanity of the privatised and fragmented rail system which has developed a compensation industry which simply wouldn’t exist under nationalisation.
“However, the huge sum of compensation being doled out to First Great Western proves that is it is simply untrue that there are no funds to install buffet cars and improved door controls on the new Intercity Express Trains.
“These modifications would put to rest a long-standing dispute that our union has with the company over safety and jobs on the new trains.”
ENDS
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