TRANSPORT UNION RMT today demanded concrete assurances from the government that crucial transport infra-structure projects will not fall victim to the cuts programme amid warnings today that key pledges, like High Speed Rail, could be kicked into the long grass.

In the ConDem coalitions programme document they talk about a commitment to a national high speed rail network but with the heavy duty caveat of “financial constraints” thrown into the mix as a drag weight on progress of the scheme which already lags behind much of Europe.

The coalition have stated that they support “Crossrail and further electrification of the rail network” but again this is overshadowed by an overriding caveat that “the deficit reduction programme [public service cuts] takes precedence over any…other measures in this agreement.”

RMT have slammed plans to extend the on-going disaster of rail privatisation by offering private companies longer contracts, describing it as “…a reward for failure and for ripping off the taxpayer to the tune of hundreds of millions of pounds for an inferior service.”

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said:

“We’ve had enough of warm words from politicians about High Speed Rail. This essential low-carbon transport project has had more relaunches than the Space Shuttle and yet we are still left in the slow lane compared to most of the rest of Europe where it’s a genuine priority. We are demanding a fixed timetable for works to be completed for the national network and concrete assurances that it won’t be seen as an easy sacrifice by the Treasury cuts machine.

“On Crossrail and electrification there is still not enough clarity and all the promises are loaded up with caveats that create a continuing air of uncertainty. The government need to be clear that these projects will happen in their totality – no ifs, no buts and no cutting back on the scale of the plans. They also need to make sure they’ve got the workforce to make them happen and that means an end to the jobs cull at Network Rail and its contractors.”