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RMT
to hit the ground running in New Year in fight over Northern and
Trans Pennine franchises
THE Rail
Union, RMT, had informed the public that it intends to:- "hit
the new year running" in the continuing fight over the
threat to jobs, fares and services from the new franchises on the
Northern and Trans-Pennine Express routes. A new list of campaigning
events have been set up for the 5 January 2015, as the country gets
fully back into business after the festive break. The RMT campaign
is taking five key messages out to the travelling public:-
► SAY NO to Driver Only Operated Trains.
► Keep OUR Ticket Offices Open.
► Keep OUR Stations Staffed and Safe.
► STOP CUTS to the Transpennine Express Network.
► OPPOSE Massive Fare Increases.
The list of campaigning events now organised on, Monday, 5 January
2015 are as follows:-
► CARLISLE CITADEL STATION - from 7.00am to 9.00am, please meet
putside Carlisle Citadel Railway Station.
► WAKEFIELD KIRKGATE STATION - from 7.00am to 9.00am, please meet
outside Wakefield Kirkgate Station.
► WIGAN WALLGATE STATION - from 7.00am to 9.30am, please meet
outside Wigan Wallgate Station.
► GRIMSBY Town STATION - from 7.00am to 10.45am, please meet outside
Grimsby Town Station.
► MARPLE - from 16.00pm to 18.00pm, please meet Outside Marple
Railway Station.
► MANCHESTER PICCADILLY STATION - from 7.00am to 9.00am, please meet
outside Manchester Piccadilly Main Entrance - at the
bottom of the approach near Cafe Nero.
► DONCASTER - from 7.30am to 9.00am, please meet outside Doncaster
Railway Station.
"The government has now been forced to confirm in writing that the
Invitations to Tender (ITTs) for the new Northern and TransPennine
franchises will be delayed into February at the earliest but there
are now growing uncertainties at the DfT about the current TPE
franchise extension and problems over the electrification in the
Region that look like dragging on well into the new year. The
influential Rail Business Intelligence bulletin has reported that a
combination of delays to the electrification programme, alongside a
shortage of diesel units and major problems under the procurement
process of securing new stock under current timescales, has thrown
up a whole series of practical problems that were omitted from the
tub-thumping rhetoric of George Osborne in the Autumn Statement."
said the RMT in a press release.
RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said:- "The Government's whole
franchise timetable for the Northern and TPE routes has descended
into chaos. We now know that the pledges to replace the clapped out
Pacer's has been exposed as nothing, but hot air as the Government
strategy for rail across the North unravels before their eyes and
that they are also being forced to consider replacing one lash up
with another by press ganging 30 year old London Underground stock
into service raising serious safety issues. While George Osborne has
been spouting a stream of rhetoric about a 'Northern Powerhouse' the
real truth is that the whole region can expect a sub standard,
bodged up services for many years to come. RMT activists and our
supporters in the community will continue to be out in force across
the region in the New Year with a renewal of our fight against the
rail franchise carve up. Our message is clear, the fight to stop the
outrageous attack on jobs, safety and services under the Northern
and TPE franchise plans continues in 2015 and the union is sending
out the clearest possible signal to George Osborne, his Government
and Rail North that they need to scrap this attack on transport
operations and to cut the hot air about improving services when they
are actually condemning the North to years of rail misery. Let's not
forget that the core of the Government's future plans for Northern
and TPE is to axe jobs, restrict services, throw the guards off the
trains and jack up fares while capaCity to meet surging rail demand
in the area is left to stagnate. That attack on the fare paying
public has already begun with the abolition of a wide range of off
peak fares and only an all out and coordinated fight can stop the
savage assault on rail in the North."
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Letters to the Editor:- "A big thank you to your readers!"
"I would like
to take this opportunity to thank all of your readers in the
Merseyside area who have supported the work of the NSPCC during
2014. Without the backing of local people the NSPCC would not be
able to help abused children rebuild their lives, or be there for
parents who desperately need advice and support. As we move into
2015 I would like to appeal to your readers to make a very special
kind of New Year's resolution for the NSPCC. 'Just One Day' is a
call for people to come forward and volunteer some time to support
our work even if people can only spare one day, it will be a massive
help. There are many different ways that people across Southport can
get involved, including fundraising, donating time, resources or
facilities, joining one of our fundraising groups, or volunteering
in one of the many roles on offer at the NSPCC, including becoming
an NSPCC ChildLine Schools Service volunteer. Why not join an
existing fundraising group, form your own group, or participate in a
wide range of fundraising activities from balls, to auctions, to
outdoor activities where you can meet and make friends with people
of all ages and backgrounds. You could even together with family,
friends work colleagues and neighbours and organise your own event
like a bake or jumble sale. Your support can help raise much needed
funds to support children across the region. Abuse ruins childhood,
but it can be prevented. That's why the NSPCC is here. That's what
drives our work, and that's why; as long as there's abuse the NSPCC
will fight for every childhood. Please join us in the fight for
every childhood by volunteering some time to support the NSPCC,
whether you can spare a day a week or just one day. To find out more
call me on:- 0844 892 0253 or email us via:-
northwestappeals@nspcc.org.uk or
log on to:-
nspcc.org.uk/volunteer."
Louise Stimson, Head of Community Fundraising - North West and
Cumbria.
E-fit issued to following Bogus Police Officer thefts...
MERSEYSIDE
Police, on Monday, 22 December 2014, issued an e-fit of a man who is
believed to be one of a group of offenders who have posed as police
officers to steal cash from elderly people. The offenders have
targeted at least 5 people in St Helens this month, calling them on
the telephone and then telling them to withdraw money from their
bank accounts. In 2 of the cases, the victims went to withdraw
substantial amounts of money from their bank accounts. When they got
home, the offenders called them again and told them a courier was
waiting to pick up the cash so it could be subject to examination. 1
of the victims, a 76 year old woman, has helped to compile an e-fit
of the bogus courier, who is described as an Asian man. Detective
Inspector Paul Unsworth, St Helens CID, said:- "First of all,
I'd like to re-iterate our advice that genuine officials will never
ask people for cash or bank details. If anyone does, people should
never hand anything over and if they have been called on the
telephone they should hang up immediately. As part of an extensive
investigation into these incidents, we have now released an e-fit of
the man who was posing as a courier and is believed to have knocked
at two of the victims' doors to collect the cash. I would urge
people to have a really good look at the image and get in touch if
they think they recognise him." People with information can
call detectives in St Helens CID on:- 051 777 6804 or 6811 or
Crimestoppers, anonymously, on:- 0800 555 111. |
