EMR Connect – a safe railway for customers and our staff
EMR Connect was introduced in May this year and is operated by Class 360 Electric Multiple Units (EMUs). Each train is comprised of four carriages with a drivers cab at each end. Each drivers cab spans the full width of the train – as a result is it not possible to walk from one train to the other. This is also the case with our EMR Intercity fleet of Class 222 Meridians and Class 180’s.
The Class 360’s were previously operated by our colleagues at Greater Anglia. For the last 17 years, they were operated under Driver Only Operation (DOO) and there was not another member of staff permanently located on the train. This was the case if the train was operated with four, eight or 12 carriages.
In order to improve the visibility of staff for customers, EMR took the decision to introduce a Train Manager onto the Connect Services. This was not required under any safety case and was solely to improve the customer experience and further protect revenue. Additionally as a safety trained member of staff, the Train Manager takes responsibility for opening and closing the doors.
The RMT has objected to this method of operation and therefore balloted Train Managers for strike action and action short of a strike.
As a matter of principle, the RMT expect to see a Train manager per 4 car set. So when we run our 360’s as sets of 8 carriages, they expect to see two TM’s on board. When we run sets of our 360’s as sets of 12 car carriages, they expect to see three TM’s on board. Despite 6 months of negotiation, they RMT has failed to produce any safety case or evidence of any kind to justify this demand.
Clearly, EMR fundamentally disagrees, our method of operation for 360 sets in multiple unit formation is safe:
Our method of operation is in line with the wider industry custom and practice, as seen in
• West Midlands trains: Class 170 & 172 units • Greater Anglia: Class 321 12 car • South Western Railway: Class 455 & 456 units • Scotrail: class 170 units. • TransPennine express: Class 185 units. • Transport for Wales: Class 175 units • Northern Rail: Class 150/1 .
It is an improvement on the operation in Greater Anglia where cl.360 services have safely operated as Driver Only Operation for over 17 years.
Since the introduction of cl.360’s at EMR, these units have run in sets of 8 carriages. There have been no operational or safety incidents attributable to not having a Train Manager on each unit.
The RMT are signatories to the risk assessment (29th March) that underpins EMR’s method of work for this traction, and EMR consulted with RMT for 6 months prior to their entry into service
Our method of work has been fully safety validated internally, and has been reviewed by the ORR
Feedback from customers on our EMR Connect route where cl.360 services operate remains overwhelmingly positive and there has not been a single issue raised in relation to colleague visibility.
Customer satisfaction for cl.360 services is at 80%, which is the highest satisfaction score at present across all EMR routes by a significant margin.
To support revenue protection on our EMR Connect services we are opening a Revenue Protection depot in Kettering and increasing our Revenue Protection Officer (RPO) headcount in St Pancras. These additional colleagues will work alongside the Train Managers to collect revenue.
An East Midlands Railway spokesperson, said:
“The safety of our customers and our staff will never be comprised or put at risk. This strike action by the RMT is completely unwarranted and unjustified.
“EMR consulted with the RMT for six months before these trains were brought into service and the RMT signed the resulting risk assessment.
"Every EMR Connect service includes a safety-critical Train Manager on board – which is an enhancement to the previous 17 years where they have operated in other parts of the county with only a driver. Furthermore, these trains have been in customer service since May and there has not been a single operational or safety incident due to their method of operation.
“As a result of this unnecessary action, EMR will be introducing a reduced Sunday timetable for EMR Connect and EMR Intercity services, effective from Sunday 8th August. Temporary timetables will be published shortly and passengers are advised to check www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk."