Labour Party

Report demonstrates once again the responsibility that David Cameron’s Government must take for the Christmas rail chaos
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date 12 January 2015
source Labour Party
type Press release

Michael Dugher MP, Labour’s Shadow Transport Secretary, commenting on the publication of Network Rail’s internal report into the rail chaos over the Christmas period, said:

“As well as highlighting the failures of Network Rail, this report demonstrates once again the responsibility that David Cameron’s Government must take for the Christmas rail chaos.

“Ministers didn’t ensure that adequate contingency plans were in place, warnings about Network Rail's deficiencies last year were just ignored and it was clear that the scale and timing of the Boxing Day shutdown risked causing unacceptable disruption.

“It seems ministers were asleep on the job and as usual it was hard-pressed passengers - who've already seen their fares go up by more than 20 per cent since 2010 - who suffered the consequences.

“The Government and Network Rail now seem to be conceding that the timing and scale of the Christmas engineering work was a mistake. The Transport Secretary stated back in December that he had “absolute confidence” in Network Rail, but now he is saying we need to reconsider “conventional wisdom”. We need big changes to how the rail network is managed, not just another review through the Rail Delivery Group.

“David Cameron is presiding over a rip-off railway in Britain, which is failing passengers. Labour would deliver a better deal for passengers and taxpayers by reforming the railways, setting up a new ‘guiding mind’ that will not only co-ordinate the industry better, but give passengers a real voice for the first time.”

Railhub Archive ::: 2015-01-12 LAB-001