Agenda item

Northern and TransPennine Rail Routes – Driver Only Trains

It was moved by Councillor Leigh Bramall, seconded by Councillor Chris Weldon, that this Council:-

(a)       registers its opposition to the Northern and TransPennine Express franchise requirement for driver only trains, and the Government’s plans to make driver only trains mandatory;

(b)       supports the RMT (National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers’) campaign to protect on-board conductors on the Northern and TransPennine routes and hundreds of essential rail jobs;

(c)        believes that, if implemented, the plan would result in cuts to funding, fare rises, service and timetable cuts and the loss of hundreds of essential rail jobs;

(d)       also believes that in addition to the loss of skilled jobs, passenger service and passenger safety will be worsened by this plan to remove guards and conductors from services and introduce Driver-Only-Operation;

(e)       notes that these proposals come on top of rail fare hikes and the pre-existing understaffing of many stations and the closure of ticket offices, making guards and on-board conductors even more essential to passenger safety;

(f)        believes that protecting and increasing staffing levels are the most effective way of improving security and passenger safety;

(g)       notes that the driver is responsible for safe operation of the train and the on-board conductor for the protection of passengers;

(h)       notes that currently, guards and on-board conductors are fully trained in operational safety, route knowledge, including safely securing doors, protecting the train and acting in emergencies such as driver incapacity;

(i)         believes that these types of cuts to rail services particularly have an impact on disabled, older and women passengers, and go against the wishes of passengers who value proper staffing of trains and stations; and

(j)         urges the Government and Rail North to protect passengers and the communities who rely on these rail services by withdrawing these proposals and instead hold meaningful consultations to deliver properly funded, properly staffed and affordable railways in the North.

Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor Ian Auckland, seconded by Councillor Richard Shaw, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by:-

1.         the substitution in paragraph (a) of the word “option” for the word “requirement”, and the deletion of the words “and the Government’s plans to make driver only trains mandatory” from that paragraph; and

2.         the deletion of paragraph (j) and the addition of a new paragraph (j) as follows:-

(j)         urges the RMT union to negotiate more flexibly with the train operators, especially with regard to ticket sales and revenue protection, in order to put forward a positive case to the Department for Transport and Rail North, for continued driver and conductor staffing of trains. 

On being put to the vote, the amendment was negatived. 

The original Motion was then put to the vote and carried, as follows:-

RESOLVED:  That this Council:-

(a)       registers its opposition to the Northern and TransPennine Express franchise requirement for driver only trains, and the Government’s plans to make driver only trains mandatory;

(b)       supports the RMT (National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers’) campaign to protect on-board conductors on the Northern and TransPennine routes and hundreds of essential rail jobs;

(c)        believes that, if implemented, the plan would result in cuts to funding, fare rises, service and timetable cuts and the loss of hundreds of essential rail jobs;

(d)       also believes that in addition to the loss of skilled jobs, passenger service and passenger safety will be worsened by this plan to remove guards and conductors from services and introduce Driver-Only-Operation;

(e)       notes that these proposals come on top of rail fare hikes and the pre-existing understaffing of many stations and the closure of ticket offices, making guards and on-board conductors even more essential to passenger safety;

(f)        believes that protecting and increasing staffing levels are the most effective way of improving security and passenger safety;

(g)       notes that the driver is responsible for safe operation of the train and the on-board conductor for the protection of passengers;

(h)       notes that currently, guards and on-board conductors are fully trained in operational safety, route knowledge, including safely securing doors, protecting the train and acting in emergencies such as driver incapacity;

(i)         believes that these types of cuts to rail services particularly have an impact on disabled, older and women passengers, and go against the wishes of passengers who value proper staffing of trains and stations; and

(j)         urges the Government and Rail North to protect passengers and the communities who rely on these rail services by withdrawing these proposals and instead hold meaningful consultations to deliver properly funded, properly staffed and affordable railways in the North.

(Note: Councillors Simon Clement-Jones, Richard Shaw, Joe Otten, Colin Ross, Martin Smith, Penny Baker, Roger Davison, Diana Stimely, Sue Alston, Andrew Sangar, Cliff Woodcraft, Ian Auckland, Steve Ayris, Denise Reaney, David Baker, Katie Condliffe and Vickie Priestley voted for paragraphs (b) to (i) and against paragraphs (a) and (j) of the Motion and asked for this to be recorded.)