Transpennine Express Services and Northern Rail have already creamed off almost £400 million to shareholders which could have been used to pay for fairer fares, new trains and more staff to help passengers.
The shortlisted bidders for the Northern Rail franchise are owned by Dutch, French and German state railways. Passengers in the North are to be used as used a cash-cow to hold down fares and improve services for railways in France, Holland and Germany. Transpennine Express Services are also to be re-privatised.
There will be cuts to rail services and staff. Passengers will be crammed into overcrowded, driver only operated trains, paying the most expensive rail fares in Europe. While all the time foreign and private train companies will suck up even more profits at the expense of rail services in the North.
Its time to put passengers first. Sign up for a publicly owned People’s Railway in the North. That means:
• Every penny that is put into the railway will be invested in the railway
• Funding fair fares, new trains and more services
• And more help for passengers: trains will keep their guard with proper staffing for stations and ticket offices
• Proper democratic oversight by communities and councils, instead of rail policy in the North being dictated by private and foreign companies.