MPs join campaign against rail privatisation
South Yorkshire MPs John Healey and Rosie Winterton are backing rail workers’ campaign against the privatisation of the train line running between Doncaster and London.
Members of TSSA, the union for people working in transport and travel, held a day of action as part of their fight to keep East Coast trains in public hands.
Fittingly, it took place on Yorkshire Day – 1 August – when people celebrated everything that is great about our region.
Campaigners displayed a big cheque representing the £800m East Coast is expected to provide to the taxpayer this financial year, as a result of it being in public ownership.
They also handed out leaflets and invited train passengers to sign a petition.
Mr Healey said: “The Government’s decision to privatise East Coast rail services is an unnecessary and costly distraction from the more important task of getting the stalled franchise programme back on track.
“The franchising fiasco caused by poor decision-making by Ministers has so far cost the taxpayer more than £55 million.
“The Government are deliberately playing politics with rail franchising instead of focussing on what is in the best interests of the taxpayer and rail passengers.”
Sign the petition against privatisation here.