14 October 2019
RMT Press Office:
Rail union RMT on Queen's speech announcement on franchising
General Secretary Mick Cash said;
"As we suspected all we are getting is the current failed rail franchising model re-packaged and re-branded. It's the same old "commercial model" and the Tory principle that profits and privatisation come first remains locked in. Nobody will be fooled by this "same meat, different gravy" pre-election stunt from Boris Johnson and the Tories.
"Private operation of our railways in incompatible with reliable and high quality services, lower fares and investment in infra-structure as the train companies will always suck the life blood out of the system in profits and dividends. That is a cold hard fact.
"Trying to repackage the racket of franchising for political purposes will fail. Ruling out the public sector option exposes the whole policy for the sham that it is. We need a nationalised railway where quality, investment, planning and safety come first. That policy will attract millions of voters at the coming general election. "
Ends
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