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Northrail brings you news and your views on issues affecting rail jobs and services in the North of England.
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Each news item has a link at the bottom taking you to that item's discussion forum topic.
Grand Central Rolling Stock Woe
April 22,
2008:
OPEN ACCESS rail operator Grand Central have been having a hard time recently, after two of their three (Northern Rail maintained) HST sets were put out of action.
On Sunday April 20, this strange combination was seen passing through York station with a Kings Cross-Sunderland service, running over an hour late.
The ex-Virgin coaches looked extremely tatty, and it looked like the First Class section was provided by some kind of "heritage" rolling stock.
Are things going down the pan for Grand Central?
Post your comments on Grand Central Rolling Stock Woe
National Express Greed (Pt. 1)
April 19,
2008:
TAXI DRIVERS who pick up from the rank at York Station are considering a revolt after National Express raised the price of an annual permit from £527 to £1,250.
Ken Usher, who has been an independent taxi driver for 35 years, described the permit increase as "obscene".
He said: "Last year taxi drivers were paying £527 to be able to pick passengers up from the station which is bad enough but to pay an annual fee of £1250 is obscene.
"We as a group have unanimously decided that we are absolutely not going to pay. We pick railway passengers up from the station and allow them to get home, surely this is helping the station and providing a public service – yet this is the thanks we get. No one can afford a yearly rate of £1,250."
Northrail says: "Surely it's about time the running of major stations was handed over to Network Rail. Why should the greed of one Train Operating Company inconvenience the passengers of other companies."
Post your comments on National Express Greed (Pt. 1)
Ticketgal Adds Some Excitement!
April 16,
2008:
SPOTTED this brilliant video on Youtube by Ticketgal (I think I know who you are!), I was a little sceptical at first – but I enjoyed it!
It's refreshing to see someone that is obviously enthusiastic about her job – a real credit to the hard-working staff at Northern Rail.
She's got loads more on Youtube – just search for Ticketgal.
Post your comments on Ticketgal Adds Some Excitement!
National Express Cut Jobs
March 12,
2008:
NATIONAL EXPRESS EAST COAST today announced that 95 jobs would be cut at their HQ in York.
Spokesman Alan Hyde said 95 managerial and clerical posts in "back-office" areas were expected to be cut — just under a quarter of the company's total York workforce of about 400 people.
He said staff would be moving out of their current headquarters in Station Rise and relocating to new premises, in Skeldergate in June.
Brian Brock, of the TSSA said he believed the redundancies breached franchise rules. He said: "the merging of staff roles between the company's railway, coach and bus operations appeared to breach Clause 25. He said the clause stated that it should be possible for someone to take over a franchise immediately at any time, but this would be impossible if staff were integrated across more than one business.
He said the point had been argued yesterday with management. "They said: It's all right. We've cleared it'- presumably with the Government. But if that is so, it raises questions about the Government's position." He said the matter had been passed to TSSA's lawyers to look into.
York's ineffective "Labour" MP Hugh Bayley has not commented on the issue so far, but will, no doubt, be fully behind the company.
Discuss this story here: National Express Cut Jobs.
Transport Department Rolling Stock Plan
January 31,
2008:
THE DEPARTMENT FOR TRANSPORT yesterday announced its strategy to increase capacity on the rail network between 2009 and 2014.
The full 13-page document, in PDF format (64Kb), can be downloaded here: Department for Transport - Rolling Stock Plan.
Disappointingly, the Government says that it is keen to see private sector experience used in the procurement process, and expects that TOCs will lead in the procurement of the additional vehicles.
The new trains are expected to be lighter, to minimise wear-and-tear on the track, and more fuel-efficient than those currently in operation.
Cities in our area identified as needing extra capacity are Leeds and Manchester, and to a lesser extent Liverpool, Sheffield, Nottingham and Newcastle.
According to the report: "Northern would introduce new DMU and EMU vehicles not only to deliver additional capacity within the franchise but also to ensure existing DMU and EMU vehicles (class 323 units) can be cascaded. Other additional capacity in the franchise is likely to be provided by cascaded vehicles from the West Midlands franchise and the London rail concession.
"It is expected that Transpennine Express will introduce additional new DMU vehicles to strengthen existing services and provide additional capacity in many regional conurbations.
"Cross Country franchise is already committed to introducing forty additional vehicles with the introduction of five High Speed Train sets. Additional DMU vehicles would provide additional capacity around Leicester.
"National Express East Coast is already committed to introducing additional locomotive hauled carriages as part of the recently awarded franchise."
Discuss this story here: Transport Department Rolling Stock Plan.
Early Day Motion No. 715
January 17,
2008:
FOLLOWING Northern Rail's decision to "clarify" the way which staff who are absent from work following a physical, threatening or verbal assault are paid, an Early Day Motion has been submitted for discussion in Parliament.
The Early Day Motion, put down by Halifax MP Linda Riordan reads: "That this House applauds the vital work of Britain's railway workers who as essential public servants deserve to be treated fairly and with dignity and respect; is concerned that the most recent Railway Safety Standards Board Report found that in the last five years physical, verbal and threatening assaults on railway staff have risen from 3,179 per annum to 4,897 per annum; believes this unacceptable increase in assaults demonstrates that there is a duty not only on the railway companies to take action to prevent all types of assaults but also a duty of care and support for those staff who are assaulted; therefore condemns the heartless and greedy actions of Northern Rail whose new policy will mean that staff who are required to take time off work as a result of an assault will receive average earnings only if the assault resulted in a severe physical injury; further notes that this policy is being introduced despite Northern Rail returning over £16 million in operating profits last year; is appalled that the new policy will mean staff assaulted by less serious injuries and abusive and threatening behaviour, including sexist, racist and homophobic threats, will suffer a loss of earnings if they take time off work; further believes this short-sighted policy sends out the message that anti-social and disruptive behaviour is not taken seriously by Northern Rail; and urges the company to restore immediately its previous policy of paying average earnings to staff who have suffered physical, verbal and threatening assaults."
What can you do?
See if your MP has signed already by taking a look at Early Day Motion 715 — if they haven't, go to Write to Them.com and ask that they do (you will need to know your full postcode).
Print a poster to publicise EDM715 – the poster is in PDF format.
There is already discussion taking place on the Northrail Forum about this issue, under the heading: Penalised for being Assaulted!
