Members of the RMT will be out in force at railway stations across the country tomorrow (17th December) as it launches its 'Rail Cuts Cost Lives' campaign against Network Rail's proposed job losses within its maintenance business.

RMT members are to demonstrate against Network Rail's proposed cuts. Photo: Suburban Slice

The union intends to leaflet the public, explaining its view that the threatened job losses will compromise safety and potentially result in "the kind of shambolic maintenance conditions that led to the disasters at Paddington, Hatfield, Potters Bar and Grayrigg."

According to the RMT, its members are already reporting cuts and backlogs in the frequency of track, signals, overhead lines and level crossing inspections. A dossier of evidence is being compiled demonstrating what it claims is "the potentially lethal impact as the cuts programme begins to bite."

Bob Crow, RMT General Secretary, said "Network Rail is taking a reckless and cash-driven gamble on rail safety just at the time when we need to be expanding services. When the public realise that important standards are being compromised in the dash for job cuts we know that they will sign up to the RMT’s campaign and that’s why we are taking our message out to the station forecourts. The proposed axing of 1500 rail maintenance jobs will have a devastating impact and will be felt right across the UK. This cuts programme must be stopped before we have another disaster on the tracks.”