Rail union calls on regulator to act over cuts

The TSSA transport union has called on the ORR (Office of Rail Regulation) regulator to act after Network Rail increased the scale of planned budget cuts over the period from 2019 to 2024 from £3.5 billion to £4 billion. The union fears the loss of more than 900 highly skilled and specialist staff, on top of further job cuts, will impact on safety.

“It is the ORR’s responsibility to ensure that our railways are safe both for passengers and as a place of work,” said TSSA general secretary Manuel Cortes. “We have grave concerns about the impact that thousands of Network Rail job cuts in a short space of time will have on the safe running of our railways and are asking the ORR to execute their duty in holding Network Rail to account.”

“It is vital that such huge changes on our railways do not put passengers or staff at risk – the safety of our railways must come first,” he concluded.