Transport Secretary Grant Shapps accuses Yorkshire mayors of being 'found wanting' on rail strikes

The Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT), Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) and Unite unions are taking industrial action today and on Saturday over pay and working conditions.

Writing in The Yorkshire Post, Grant Shapps rounded on West Yorkshire Mayor, Tracy Brabin, and South Yorkshire Mayor, Oliver Coppard for not condemning the strikes.

He said: “They will not condemn the strike action, nor stand up for the millions that will face the consequences of our railways grinding to a halt.”

Mr Coppard hit back, saying that he refuses to condemn people fighting for a better standard of living in the face of “exponentially rising costs of living”.

While Ms Brabin said the Government was seeking to shift the blame rather than negotiating a settlement.

Mr Shapps also criticised both Labour Mayors for saying that the Government is not investing enough in the region’s railways.

He said: “Unbelievably, they do, however, claim that this Government is not investing enough in our railways.

“I would gently point them to the Integrated Rail Plan – which will see £96bn invested into high speed rail, electrified lines and faster trains across the North.

“South Yorkshire alone is receiving £570m from our sustainable transport settlements, which means more bus priority lanes in Sheffield and cycling and walking infrastructure in Barnsley.”

Mr Coppard said: “I would also caution him against using his cut price rail plan as an example of investment in our railways.

“Far from the transformative infrastructure this was supposed to give the North – which let’s face it, is pretty much what the South already enjoys – is instead a piecemeal random set of announcements which will do nothing to level up our communities.”

Mr Shapps has called on trade unions to be constructive and follow the TSSA union’s management grade members’ lead, with Network Rail managers voting to accept a 4 per cent pay deal.