Transport Committee Inquiry Into Railway Job Losses

EDM number 713 in 1996-97, proposed by Hugh Bayley on 19/03/1997.

That this House expresses concern about the loss of jobs in privatised railway companies; recognises that job losses undermine the quality and reliability of railway services as illustrated recently by the shambles of train cancellations by South West Trains; fears that job losses may compromise the safety of railway passengers and staff; notes that Regional Railways North East, within days of its privatisation, has written to all its employees to invite applications for redundancy; further notes that York had 4,700 railway jobs when privatisation began, that the workforce has been reduced already to 2,200 and that Regional Railways North East is reported to be considering 1,300 further redundancies; and requests the Transport Committee in the new Parliament after the General Election to conduct an inquiry into the extent of job losses in privatised railway companies and the effect these job losses will have on the quality and safety of railway services and to make recommendations to the new Government about how to stop further damage to the British railway system.

This motion has been signed by a total of 20 MPs.