Union issues warning on network rail job cuts

The TSSA white collar transport union has warned that proposed cuts by Network Rail in management grades will hit safety roles.

Network Rail, which oversees the UK’s rail infrastructure, announced in September that it would cut 750 management-level jobs as part of the £2 billion worth of savings it has been told it must find by the ORR rail regulator over the next five years.

But the TSSA said the company’s target of 15% cuts “was not possible whilst sustaining a safe and efficient railway”.

The Commons Transport Select Committee was due to begin an enquiry on 21 October into the level crossing safety record of the National Rail passenger rail service. National Rail was fined £1.95 million in the past 18 months over three level crossing accidents resulting in three deaths and serious injury.

TSSA general secretary Manuel Cortes said it was “simply unbelievable” that these job cuts were being made “less than a month before the parliamentary enquiry begins”.