Stockport Labour Group is calling on the Council to do more to support local Northern Rail staff in the Borough in the light of proposals by the Government and Rail North to remove conductors from local services and reduce the opening times of ticket offices which serve rail users.
A Department for Transport consultation on the Northern Rail franchise from February 2016 onwards closed in August, and contained an expectation ‘to require bidders to set out how Driver-Only Operation may be introduced’ as well as inviting views on ‘reducing the hours ticket offices are open and staffed.’
At the Council Meeting taking place on 16th October, Labour will propose a motion on the issue challenging Councillors to stand up for staff at local stations and on local trains, highlighting the valuable work staff do, and outlining how it is a false economy to reduce local staffing levels.
Transport for Greater Manchester has also responded to the consultation highlighting how staff play a crucial role across the Region ‘in terms of revenue protection, improved levels of and perceptions of safety, and the provision of information and guidance.’
The Rail, Maritime and Transport Trade Union welcomed the tabling of the motion, with RMT Relief Regional Organiser (North of England) Craig Johnson saying ‘we welcome all the support we are receiving from individuals, the community and from local authorities.
‘The proposals are a disaster for the North, with less safe Driver Only Operated Trains and the de-staffing of stations and closures of ticket offices leading to a remote and isolated railway experience, with less emphasis on passenger care. Coupled with other service reductions and fare hikes, they constitute a hammer blow to our Region.’
Cllr Dean Fitzpatrick, who is tabling the motion on Thursday, said ‘the consultation document states that a relatively high proportion of journeys on Northern are made without a ticket, and that one of the causes of this is unstaffed stations. How can the answer to this be to reduce staffing levels across the network?
‘Instead we should do more to ensure revenue is collected and this can then be re-invested back into providing the reliable service which the public expect and deserve.’
Demand for rail travel is forecast by Rail North to continue to grow by around 2.5% a year across the North of England, leading to an overall increase in usage of 50% by 2029.
The Department for Transport consultation document can be found here: