Railway Services And Jobs

EDM number 1271 in 2008-09, proposed by John McDonnell on 01/04/2009.
Categorised under the topic of Railways.

That this House notes rail transport can provide a lower carbon emission alternative to the car and lorry; believes the railways during the recession can be a powerhouse for promoting green jobs, a green stimulus to the economy and managed in a way which alleviates the effects of the economic downturn; is therefore dismayed that despite being heavily reliant on billions of pounds of Government subsidy, thousands of passenger services, infrastructure and freight jobs are being threatened or have been lost on the railways and London Underground with the Government in effect subsidising redundancy; is appalled that these cuts will also affect the level and quality of service and are taking place despite private railway companies continuing to pay a dividend to shareholders and presiding over the most expensive fares in Europe; supports the call of the rail unions for an immediate industry-wide moratorium on cuts in jobs and services on the railways and London Underground and a freeze in dividends with all profits instead invested to protect services and jobs; and further believes that the Government should create an integrated, publicly-owned and accountable people's railway where passengers and workers have a real voice, which puts people before profit by ensuring all revenues are used to safeguard and expand rail services, jobs and skills, to expand electrification, develop high speed lines and introduce affordable and fair fares.

This motion has been signed by a total of 56 MPs, 1 of these signatures have been withdrawn.