Thameslink

Rail Union RMT Calls On London Mayor Boris Johnson To Support Campaign For Crossrail Fleet To Be Built In Britain

RAIL UNION RMT today challenged London Mayor Boris Johnson to come out and publicly support a union-led campaign for the Crossrail fleet to be built in Britain or risk the kind of delays that have dogged plans to build the Thameslink trains in Germany, a scandal which has dragged back the national fleet replacement programme by three years.

Last week, TFL and the DFT confirmed that the Crossrail fleet will be wholly procured by the cheaper and more efficient route of public financing, an open recognition that the public/private finance model is unable to deliver on time and on price.

RMT Warns Of Skills Shortage Threat To Rail Plans

RAIL UNION RMT warned today that a looming shortage of skilled staff, driven by a failure to invest in training and apprenticeships and the dash to sub out key work to agencies and contractors, will threaten the timetables for future rail projects including the High Speed proposals unveiled this week.

The RMT warning is backed by research by the National Skills Academy for Railway Engineering for the Office of Rail Regulation that was published just a few days ago.

Online Poll Calls For Cancellation Of Siemans Thameslink Fleet Deal And Award Of Contract To Bombardier

From General Secretary Bob Crow

Dear Colleagues,

The website Rail.Co are running an online poll on RMT’s demand that in light of West Coast Main Line fiasco the Thameslink Fleet deal with Siemens be cancelled and awarded to Bombardier in Derby

You can add your vote here.

RMT Demands Scrapping Of Thameslink Siemens Deal Following West Coast Mainline Fiasco

RAIL UNION RMT today demanded that the Government call a halt to the 18 month long saga of the Siemens/Thameslink fleet contract after it emerged that it has been stitched together by the same group of Ministers and Government officials responsible for the collapse of the West Coast main line franchising deal.