Fare-rise protests at region’s rail stations

Protests are being staged at a number of Yorkshire train stations today over rail fare rises and the threat of job cuts.
By The Newsroom
Published 5th Jan 2015, 06:48 BST
John Stewart, Sec RMT Leeds Branch hands out leaflets at Leeds City Station.John Stewart, Sec RMT Leeds Branch hands out leaflets at Leeds City Station.
John Stewart, Sec RMT Leeds Branch hands out leaflets at Leeds City Station.

Rail union the RMT plans to continue its fight against reform following the New Year season ticket increases of 2.5 per cent which came into effect on Friday.

Campaigning events at Wakefield Kirkgate Station, Leeds City Station and Harrogate Station are taking place this morning from around 7am up until around 9am.

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The RMT opposes fare rises, the use of driver only operated trains, the closing of ticket offices, the lessening of staff at stations and cuts to the TransPennine Express (TPE) network.

Train fare rises saw campaigners from the RMT protest outside of Kings Cross station in London.Train fare rises saw campaigners from the RMT protest outside of Kings Cross station in London.
Train fare rises saw campaigners from the RMT protest outside of Kings Cross station in London.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: “Our message is clear, the fight to stop the outrageous attack on jobs, safety and services under the Northern and TPE franchise plans continues in 2015 and the union is sending out the clearest possible signal to George Osborne, his Government and Rail North that they need to scrap this attack on transport operations and to cut the hot air about improving services when they are actually condemning the North to years of rail misery.

“Let’s not forget that the core of the Government’s future plans for Northern and TPE is to axe jobs, restrict services, throw the guards off the trains and jack up fares while capacity to meet surging rail demand in the area is left to stagnate. That attack on the fare-paying public has already begun with the abolition of a wide range of off-peak fares and only an all-out and co-ordinated fight can stop the savage assault on rail in the North.”

The fare rises follow weeks of disruption to services, with problems compounded by over-running festive engineering work.

Related topics:RMTYorkshire