4 September 2014
RMT Press Office
PLANS TO axe peak-hour train services across Merseyside have been ditched after they were exposed by RMT, the region’s biggest rail union.
Merseyrail signalled a retreat from the cuts at talks yesterday after the union revealed proposals to slash nine rush-hour trains a day under a plan to ‘standardise’ weekday and Saturday timetables.
RMT acting general secretary Mick Cash said: “Merseyrail yesterday told our reps that it will continue to run the same number of trains from May 2015 as it does now.
“That u-turn is great news when only last week senior managers were sounding out traincrew reps on the impact that cutting up to nine peak-hour trains each weekday would have on jobs.”
RMT North West regional organiser John Tilley said: “Thanks to RMT’s intervention common sense has prevailed and the plan is now off the table, saving jobs and protecting key rail services.
“RMT fully supports long-term plans to expand Merseyside’s rail network, but the union will remain vigilant in defending services from any McNulty-inspired attacks on services.”
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