Rail union slates new structure

The RMT rail and transport union last month said the government's decision to cut the number of rail franchises from 25 to 19 would still allow millions of pounds of taxpayers' money to be siphoned off to shareholders.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: "Instead of having 25 franchises taking money out of the railways we'll have 19, but there will still be millions of taxpayers' pounds being poured into shareholders' pockets."

He added: "They should be brought back into the public sector where they belong."