BRITISH RAIL sell-off proposals announced by the government last week are a one-way ticket to massive fare hikes, thousands of job losses, widespread route closures, plummeting investment and safety cutbacks which will ulEmately cost lives. What a way to run a railroad.
The move has already been Conservative MP Robert Adley, chairman o se public transport select committee. He later added: "This experiment could jeopardise the whole of the railway network.
Other Tory critics of the scheme include three ennob ad formel cabinet ministers, Lords Ridley. Young and Whitelaw, notable entions, and the Bow Group on the Conservative left. Internatonal Raiways denounced it irrelevant to national need for a wellbalanced multi-modal transport system". The idea isso stupid that even the Labour front bench feels sale in opposing it A straight sell-off or small shareholder issue have both proved impossible, giving the resutant enabing bil all the halmarks of a Tory thinktank free market Heath Robinson measure, a new body, Raitrack, wil take over BR's track and signaling equipment, while a new franchising authority will invite the private sector to bid for the right to operate pas senger services on Railrack's infraBR's Freight and parcels businesses will be sold cutright, while stavars wil De up for sale or 18858. A third quango, the independent ral with a brief to promote competition and protect the consumer interest.
Ine oi would also enaiole tre que emment to privatise London and Glasgow Underground railways and the Tyne & Wear Metro without further legislation. The government insists impossible te take them at their word. include competition, altracting private preneurial culture into BR. Butas Tory critics realise, none of these are likely to come to fruition.
Real compettion is ruied out simrun two trains on same route at MacGregor has admitted many franchises will have to be on an exclusive basis.
BR has been systematically European networks, and is expected to double its 1992 loss of E145m this year.
As BR chairman Sir Bob Reid put everyone could travel for tree. And ! Christmas."
While the government is seeking to save money, amay even need to shal out more cash to finance the new bureaucracies and provide sweeteners to get operators to run unprofitable but socially necessary lines. tain existing infrastructure, finance eight per cont return. This will force it to levy high charges on track users. who will in tum argue they have no choice but to scrap marginal roules.
For instanoe, former Sealink forries operator Sea Containers is interested in taking over Southern Region, but has already stated it would dose the Southampton.Portsmouth3righton-Eastbourne Coastway inc nd the North Downs route betweer Reading, Guidlord and Tonbridge.
As well as the closing down entire naturally strive to cut staffing leveis. The inevitable outcome wil be a great train jobs robbery.
The whole fiasco gives the le to government daims that is wants to see road traffic switch rail to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
Public transport offers so many social and ecological benefits that it cannot be judeed by standerd profi-andloss accounting. Development of an integrated public transport policy placing BR, Scht raiways companies under the control of worwould by an obvious earty priority for an incoming socialist government No. 36 WOMEN'S CAMPS AGAINST CLOSURES Contact numbers: Doncaster area: Hatfield Main 0302-841365 Barnsley 0226-202687 Women Against Pit Closures NATIONAL DEMONSTRATION LONDON SATURDAY FEB 6 Assemble 11am Embankment, march to Hyde Park Picket NW region TUC Saturday February 6, Mechanics Institute, MANCHESTER January 30, 1993 Page 5
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