2 September 2014
RMT Press Office
AS PART of the on-going RMT campaign against cuts to jobs and services, bound up in the Government’s proposals for the future of the Northern and Trans-Pennine Express franchises, the union is launching a new phase of the fightback on Monday 8th September, the day that Northern axes a whole range of off-peak fares.
RMT is pointing out to passengers that the shock fare increases are a taste of what’s to come under the new Northern and Trans-Pennine Express franchises. The union has slammed the Government and Northern Rail for secretly colluding to axe the off-peak fares from Monday purely in the name of private profit.
RMT has blasted the moves as “a kick in the teeth for the travelling public and a taste of what’s around the corner under the new Northern and Trans-Pennine Express franchises if the community don’t stand alongside rail workers in the fight to stop the destruction of rail services right across the North”.
A new postcard, following on from the 10,000 cards collected in opposition to the plans under the franchise consultation, will be distributed from Monday with the public urged to pressure MP’s to sign EDM 174, opposing the Northern and Trans-Pennine Express proposals, and calling for Councillors and Local Authorities to register their opposition.
The cards will be distributed at the following locations:
HEXHAM
MONDAY 8th September 2014 -
7am - 9am - Meet outside Hexham Station
STOCKPORT
MONDAY 8th September 2014 -
7.30am - 9.30am - Meet outside Stockport Station
WIGAN WALLGATE
MONDAY 8th September 2014 -
7.30am -9.30am - Meet outside Wigan Wallgate Station
MANCHESTER VICTORIA
MONDAY 8th September 2014 -
7.30am - 9.30am - Meet outside Manchester Victoria Station
LIVERPOOL LIME STREET
MONDAY 8th September 2014 -
7.30am - 9.30am - Meet Outside Liverpool Lime Street Station
GRIMSBY TOWN STATION
MONDAY 8th September 2014 -
8am - 11am - Meet Outside Grimsby Town Station
STEETON & SILSDEN
MONDAY 8th September 2014 -
9.15am - 11am - Meet outside Steeton and Silsden Station
MANCHESTER PICCADILLY
MONDAY 8th September 2014 -
10am - 12noon - Meet at the bottom of the approach entrance to Manchester Piccadilly Station - Nr Cafe Nero.
LEEDS CITY STATION
MONDAY 8th September 2014 -
4pm - 6pm - Meet Outside Leeds City Station (***WELLINGTON STREET, ENTRANCE)
SHEFFIELD
MONDAY 8th September 2014 -
4pm - 6pm - Meet outside Sheffield Station
LANCASTER
MONDAY 8th September 2014 -
4pm - 6pm - Meet outside Lancaster Station
DONCASTER
TUESDAY 9th September 2014 -
7am - 9am - Meet outside Doncaster Station
PRESTON
TUESDAY 9th September 2014 -
7am - 9am - Meet Outside Preston Station (Butler Street Entrance)
GRIMSBY TOWN STATION
SATURDAY 13th September 2014
8am - 11am - Meet outside Grimsby Town Station.
Further events will be added in the coming weeks and follow nearly 50 events organised by RMT during the formal consultation period compared to a pitiful 5 organised by the Department for Transport and their cheerleaders in the shadowy “Rail North” organisation.
Under the fares plans, from the 8th September off-peak tickets can no longer be used during key times on weekday evenings.
The abolition of the off-peak evening fares will apply to the following areas:
• Travel South Yorkshire
• Transport for Greater Manchester
• Metro West Yorkshire
• Routes radiating out of the above areas
• The Hexham-Newcastle line
Northern Rail have confirmed that the axing of the off-peak fares is simply about money:
“The changes are being made after the Department of Transport asked Northern to look at several options to generate additional revenue as part of its new franchise agreement.” – Northern Rail internal circular.
RMT Acting General Secretary Mick Cash said:
“The axing of off-peak fares is a savage kick in the teeth for people already struggling with the burden of low pay and austerity and the fact that it has been cooked up by the Department for Transport in collusion with the privatisation pirates from Northern Rail is a warning of what’s to come. RMT is giving the people who use the rail services an opportunity to have their say.
“Let’s not forget that the core of the Government’s future plans for Northern and TPE is to axe jobs, throw the guards off the trains and jack up fares while capacity to meet surging rail demand in the area is left to stagnate. That attack on the fare-paying public has already begun and only an all-out and coordinated fight can stop the savage assault on rail in the North.
“RMT is now launching the next phase of the fight to both inform the public and fight the savage cuts being lined up for these Northern rail franchises and to get MP’s signed up to EDM 174 opposing this carve-up. It is absolutely essential now that we keep up the pressure.”
ENDS
Unity House
Tel: 020 7387 4771
Email: