RMT calls for full disclosure of G. Anglia safety breaches

5 October 2017

RMT Press Office:

RMT calls for full disclosure of Greater Anglia Safety breaches as further incident sees passengers disembark onto tracks and company takes down its own safety monitoring register.

RMT has called for full disclosure of all Greater Anglia’s Safety breaches after it emerged that strike breaking members of staff had opened the train doors on the wrong side resulting in passengers going onto the tracks.

The potentially disastrous incident happened on the 1350 Peterborough to Ipswich Service on Tuesday and came after it was also revealed that Greater Anglia were in breach of their own and industry guidelines that require staff who perform Conductor duties to receive 16 weeks training.

The RMT’s concerns that the company is determined to cover up its safety breaches and break the strike action at “almost any cost” has been reinforced by the fact that company has taken down its own internal “Daily Log” which advises all relevant employees of safety related incidents within the company.

The unions fears are such that as well as writing to the safety regulator the RMT have sought a meeting with the chief executive of Greater Anglia’s owners Dutch state railways.

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said,

“Signals being almost passed at red, trains not being operated by driver’s due to safety concerns and now passengers getting out of the wrong side of the train and onto the tracks. This is all because Greater Anglia are determined to break the strike at any costs by using staff who have had a few days training rather than the four months required by the company’s own standards.”

“Now following the revelations of safety breaches reported by the media Greater Anglia have jeopardised safety further by taking down their own internal daily log which reports safety breaches. They are trying to hide the threat to safety from staff and passengers alike and we are therefore calling for full public disclosure of all safety breaches.

“Our concerns are such that not only have we again written to the safety regulator we have also written to Greater Anglia’s owners Dutch State railways."

ENDS