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Will your council be supporting your railway?

Or cutting rail jobs and services? What is the threat to rail services and jobs in the North of ?

Councils and Councillors now have significant requirement for a guard to be on every train. control of railways in the North. Twenty nine And because 331 of Northern’s 527 stations are Councils make up a new body called “Rail North.” unstaffed axing guards will have a disproportionate Although Rail North cannot decide whether our impact on people with disabilities who simply will railways should be publicly owned (which is what not be able to travel if there is no guarantee of a most passengers would prefer!) they will be deciding member of staff to assist them on and off the train. on many important issues that affect passengers. On the Transpennine Express franchise, This includes train service levels and what station whilst there is no requirement for bidders to get rid and train staff will be available to of Guards, neither is there a guarantee assist passengers and protect their for passengers that Guards will be safety. retained. This is also a major One of Rail North’s concern as in our first big decisions will be 1000 experience the private to help determine with train companies will the government the train guard jobs seek to maximise rail franchise under threat profits by cutting agreements for staff. Northern Rail and It is not only Transpennine passenger safety and Express Trains (TPE) 12,000 service that will be services. These passengers have already affected, so will our agreements start on economy and 1st April 2016, written to protest communities. shortly before the local against train and Thousands of relatively elections in May. decent rail jobs will be Worryingly the station staff cuts under threat, deskilled and current proposed franchise casualised. Cuts to rail jobs agreements mean there will be are always a false economy and fewer rail staff to help passengers hardly the right track to a “Northern and protect their safety. Power House.” There are no guarantees that ticket offices will be But there is no basis for cost cutting on the kept open. And no safeguards that as many stations North’s railways. Passengers pay the most expensive as possible will have properly trained and directly fares in Europe and in the last five years Northern employed station staff to help passengers. Rail and TPE have paid out almost half a billion In fact there will be cuts to rail jobs. For pounds to shareholders. That’s half the amount the example railway regulations currently guarantee government say they will invest in the North’s that passenger’s in the North always have a Guard / passenger railway in the next five years. Conductor on their train. In addition to the driver And because the only bidders for the Northern passengers know there will always be a highly Franchise are owned by Dutch, French and German trained Guard to protect the safe operation of the state railways profits are set to be siphoned off to train and deal with emergencies, such as fire, pay for rail improvements in Amsterdam, Berlin and derailments and driver incapacity. And of course the Paris, while passengers in the North will see cuts to Guard provides general assurance to passengers, their railway staff. ticket and travel advice and revenue protection. According to Rail North’s own estimates Astonishingly the proposed rail franchise passenger demand for the north’s railway will soar agreements mean passengers will no longer have by 50% over the next fifteen years. This will also this protection. For the Northern franchise bidders mean a huge increase in revenues which should be have been been told that Guards must be axed on at used to take on more, much needed rail staff, not least 50% of rail services and instead trains will be cut them. “Driver Control Operated.” What this actually means We can protect quality jobs in our region and is widespread Driver Only Operation, because under protect rail services and safety – here‘s how. these new arrangements there will no longer be a n How can councillors in the North of England protect rail passengers?

As we have already explained the Rail North Board be no less safe and secure.” councillors will have a key say over the rail franchise This clearly does not guarantee that agreements. Importantly they will also be able to passengers will continue to have the benefit of a make changes to the agreements and will be Guard on board their train in the same way that the responsible for railway services and staffing. They current arrangements do. Indeed bidders for the have the power to protect rail services and jobs. Northern franchise have said the agreement will And Rail North Councillors can count on the allow them to operate trains with only the driver on support of passengers if they act to protect rail jobs board while at the same time deskilling and and safety. MP’s, councils and thousands of casualising the role of the Guard. passengers, in the If Ministers and North have already civil servants in London protested to the ...the proposed new franchise agreement will not won’t protect passengers Government. In “ maintain the role of the guard/conductor on then Northern response the Rail Northern Rail services and therefore weakens the Councillors and Rail Minister Clare Perry protection for passengers; northern local authorities North should. has stated, through the Rail North umbrella organisation will And as well as “I whole have a key role in overseeing and improving the maintaining the heartedly believe in franchise; and calls on Rail North to protect rail jobs operational role of the the benefits of an on- and passenger safety and service by developing the Guard they should insist train presence... Such franchise agreement to retain the current role of the the Northern and TPE staff not only provide guard/conductor, keep ticket offices open and franchise agreements a friendly face that ensure proper staffing at as many stations as keep ticket offices and passengers can get to possible. station staffing levels to know but can also Parliamentary motion tabled by Northern MPs at least their current provide a sense of levels and ensure all security; deter anti-social behaviour; provide stations revenue prote”ction and cleaning staff are passengers with assistance, including by directly employed. helping those with mobility Rail North also needs to impairment or other disability; speak out against the North and help to make sure that being last in the queue for passengers have the right decent rail services, new fare for their journey. We 25% rolling stock and want to make sure that increase in sexual electrification. Good, all of our operators modern provide these benefits assaults on the communication links through a really railway are essential for effective staff passengers, the presence in order to economy of the North meet passengers' 65% and our local needs" Communities. Despite the percent of passengers Councillors should be public and political opposed to Driver Only supporting the opening outcry and the seemingly of new routes and reassuring response from Operated Trains opposing the government’s the Rail Minister the proposals to scrap the Department for Transport has Transpennine Express services merely specified that bidders for from Windermere, Barrow-in- Northern Rail must make “reasonable Furness and North. endeavours” for passengers to have the protection of Please turn the page to see how you can get a “second person” in addition to the Driver. Trains in touch with your local councillors and Rail North will be allowed to run without a second member of councillors. staff, “if it can be demonstrated that passengers will n See below to see how you can contact Rail North. You can also contact your local councillor at www.writetothem.com Twenty-nine Local Transport Authorities are members of Rail North, and each nominates a Councillor plus one alternate to represent them on the Association of Rail North Partner Authorities. Authorities are then grouped into 11 areas; each group nominates one person to act as a Director of Rail North Limited. (Rail North Website correct as of 1 July 2015.) Council Rail North Councillor Email Phone N/A [email protected] 01254 585585 Borough Council Blackpool Borough Council Cllr Simon Blackburn [email protected] 01253 477477 Cumbria County Council Cllr Stewart Young [email protected] 01228 606060 Lancashire County Council Cllr John Fillis* [email protected] 0300 123 6701 Council Cllr Michael Jones [email protected] 0300 123 5500 Cllr David Brown* [email protected] 0300 123 5500 Cheshire West and Cllr Mike Jones [email protected] 0300 123 8123 Chester Council Staffordshire County Council Cllr Philip Atkins [email protected] 0300 111 8000 Stoke-on-Trent City Council Cllr Mohammed Pervez [email protected] 01782 234234 Stoke-on-Trent City Council Cllr Ruth Rosenau [email protected] 01782 234234 Borough Council Cllr Terry O’Neill [email protected] 01925 443322 City of Council Cllr Dafyyd Williams [email protected] 01904 551550 West Combined Cllr Keith Wakefield* [email protected] 0113 251 7272 Authority West Yorkshire Combined Cllr Judith Blake [email protected] 0113 251 7272 Authority Darlington Borough Council Cllr Bill Dixon* [email protected] 01325 380651 Hartlepool Borough Cllr Christopher [email protected] 01429 266522 Council Akers-Belcher N/A [email protected] 01642 245432 N/A [email protected] N/A Borough Council Stockton-on-Tees Cllr Robert Cook [email protected] 01642 393939 Borough Council Derbyshire County Council Cllr Anne Western* [email protected] 01629 533190 Derbyshire County Council Cllr Dean Collins* [email protected] 01629 533190 Lincolnshire County Council Cllr Martin Hill OBE [email protected] 01522 552222 City Council Cllr Jon Collins [email protected] 01159 155555 Nottinghamshire County Cllr Alan Rhodes [email protected] 03005 008080 Council Cllr Stephen Parnaby OBE [email protected] 01482 393939 Council Cllr Stephen Brady [email protected] 01482 300300 Hull City Council Cllr Martin Mancey [email protected] 01482 300300 Cllr Chris Shaw [email protected] 01472 313131 Council Cllr Liz Redfern* [email protected] 01724 297000 Council Greater Manchester Sir Richard Leese* [email protected] 01612 343124 Combined Authority Liverpool City Region Cllr Liam Robinson* [email protected] 01512 330420 North East Combined Authority Cllr Nick Forbes* [email protected] 01912 787878 County Council Cllr Chris Metcalfe* [email protected] 01609 534527 Sheffield City Region Cllr Julie Dore* [email protected] 01142 649950

*Director of Rail North Board