Politicians despair over National Express collapse (From York Press)
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York councillors have reacted to National Express East Coast relinquishing its franchise
10:04am Wednesday 1st July 2009 in News By Mark Stead and Gavin Aitchison
YORK'S political leaders have vowed to fight for local jobs and to protect rail links, following the collapse of rail operator National Express East Coast.
Coun Andrew Waller has asked for urgent meetings with Transport Ministers to discuss the future of the East Coast Franchise following today's news that it would be taken off National Express by the end of the year.
He said: “I am very concerned about jobs in the city linked to the East Coast Mainline service, and as I worked for 11 years with GNER I have every sympathy with those in the city who are concerned about retaining headquarters jobs in the city.
“I am determined that York should remain a railway city, and I will do all that I can to fight for York jobs.
"It is also vital for the wider York economy that we have an operator based in the city who will respond to the requirements of businesses and residents.
“It is regrettable that employees, and the city will have to endure another period of uncertainty with the future of the main line service, the second since the franchise was stripped from GNER in 2006 under similar circumstances.
“It is about time that the Government, and in particular the Treasury saw sense in the burden that they want to load onto operators.”
Bill Woolley, the council's director of city strategy, said: "Excellent rail links to York are a crucial part of the city’s economic success and it is vital that the East Coast rail service continues to provide high speed links to and from London and Edinburgh.
“We are also concerned about the security of jobs at National Express, which are located in York, and the impact this announcement could have on jobs that are linked to the rail industry in the city generally.”
York Labour leader David Scott said: "I am extremely concerned to learn about these developments. We supported the National Express bid for the franchise because it promised to keep jobs in York.
The council needs to take immediate action to preserve jobs, give reassurance to families and ensure that York maintains the economic and tourist income generated by the East Coast Main Line."
Comments(14)
pedalling paul
says...
11:37am Wed 1 Jul 09
agabbiecabby
says...
12:19pm Wed 1 Jul 09
oldgoat
says...
12:22pm Wed 1 Jul 09
topumpire1 wrote:Rail privatisation was a bad move, but we've always had private operators on bus routes, just that we suffer First as our operator now, and we all know what they are like!
1: This shows that the tory privatisation of PUBLIC services CANNOT ever work!!!
What about De-regulation of buses? we now see two or more companies compete for the profitable routes & essential routes cut back or out! The Gov. must now re-nationalise ALL the railways & buses! (at NO cost to the electors!)
2: Does this mean that the HATED barrier proposal for York station (a NXEC idea) is dead?
Lets hope so!!!
TW
says...
12:23pm Wed 1 Jul 09
Coun Andrew Waller has asked for urgent meetings with Transport Ministers to discuss the future of the East Coast Franchise
Sorry but you are a 'local councillor' Waller, it should be our esteemed MP, Mr Bayley, who should be dealing with this. Anyone seen or heard from him ??
Ozymandius_I
says...
12:44pm Wed 1 Jul 09
topumpire1 wrote:I agree entirely BUT the government's money comes out of our pockets in the form of taxation doesn't it? So how can a government re-nationalise public transport at 'no cost' to the electorate?
1: This shows that the tory privatisation of PUBLIC services CANNOT ever work!!!
What about De-regulation of buses? we now see two or more companies compete for the profitable routes & essential routes cut back or out! The Gov. must now re-nationalise ALL the railways & buses! (at NO cost to the electors!)
2: Does this mean that the HATED barrier proposal for York station (a NXEC idea) is dead?
Lets hope so!!!
And perhaps in the middle of our worst recession since the 1930s might prove an awkward time for raising the necessary capital from the IMF...
Kynnersley
says...
1:13pm Wed 1 Jul 09
Ozymandius_I wrote:It can be re-nationalised at nil cost by not renewing franchise when they expire and taking the running of trains 'in house'. It would take a number of years but there would be nothing to pay to the private operators.
topumpire1 wrote: 1: This shows that the tory privatisation of PUBLIC services CANNOT ever work!!! What about De-regulation of buses? we now see two or more companies compete for the profitable routes & essential routes cut back or out! The Gov. must now re-nationalise ALL the railways & buses! (at NO cost to the electors!) 2: Does this mean that the HATED barrier proposal for York station (a NXEC idea) is dead? Lets hope so!!!I agree entirely BUT the government's money comes out of our pockets in the form of taxation doesn't it? So how can a government re-nationalise public transport at 'no cost' to the electorate? And perhaps in the middle of our worst recession since the 1930s might prove an awkward time for raising the necessary capital from the IMF...
Kiff
says...
1:45pm Wed 1 Jul 09
TW wrote:Since when has Coun Andrew Waller been "YORK'S top councillor" as the head line describes him. Why not call him "Council Leader" (his job title)?
Coun Andrew Waller has asked for urgent meetings with Transport Ministers to discuss the future of the East Coast Franchise
Sorry but you are a 'local councillor' Waller, it should be our esteemed MP, Mr Bayley, who should be dealing with this. Anyone seen or heard from him ??
Is Bayley doing about this? Why hasn't the Press got an interview with him? Did they try?
This is just sloppy journalism.
AdmiralNN
says...
2:01pm Wed 1 Jul 09
TW wrote:The little weasel is keeping his head very low.
Coun Andrew Waller has asked for urgent meetings with Transport Ministers to discuss the future of the East Coast FranchiseSorry but you are a 'local councillor' Waller, it should be our esteemed MP, Mr Bayley, who should be dealing with this. Anyone seen or heard from him ??
Dont expect him to do much for Yorks benefit though.
bobby_spray
says...
2:12pm Wed 1 Jul 09
pedalling paul wrote:Give it a rest mate. you are boring everyone with your pro bike cr@p. This is a serious story about a national carrier and has nothing to do with people who like to play on bikes all day.
Once more, the planned cycle and pedestrian access from the riverside to York station may go back into the melting pot. I hope that it can remain an active scheme, supported by City of York Council's Cycling England Project.
Dave Taylor
says...
5:34pm Wed 1 Jul 09
However, the HATED ticket barriers scheme might not be dead, as it was the Government that was pushing NXEC into instaling the **** things in the first place.
The proposed ticket barriers are a total waste of £1M for a company which is clearly hitting the buffers and should be withdrawn immediately.
Dave Taylor
says...
5:43pm Wed 1 Jul 09
pedalling paul
says...
10:37pm Wed 1 Jul 09
bobby_spray wrote:For you information, I was employed in the rail industry for 40 years. I have lived through the pain of privatisation, even being briefly made redundant.
pedalling paul wrote: Once more, the planned cycle and pedestrian access from the riverside to York station may go back into the melting pot. I hope that it can remain an active scheme, supported by City of York Council's Cycling England Project.Give it a rest mate. you are boring everyone with your pro bike cr@p. This is a serious story about a national carrier and has nothing to do with people who like to play on bikes all day.
I have commented on another thread today, about the high level impact of todays events. But the ripples from it spread far and wide.
dont give a monkeys
says...
5:15am Thu 2 Jul 09
pedalling paul wrote:Paul, do you sleep with your bike on a night?
bobby_spray wrote:For you information, I was employed in the rail industry for 40 years. I have lived through the pain of privatisation, even being briefly made redundant. I have commented on another thread today, about the high level impact of todays events. But the ripples from it spread far and wide.pedalling paul wrote: Once more, the planned cycle and pedestrian access from the riverside to York station may go back into the melting pot. I hope that it can remain an active scheme, supported by City of York Council's Cycling England Project.Give it a rest mate. you are boring everyone with your pro bike cr@p. This is a serious story about a national carrier and has nothing to do with people who like to play on bikes all day.
topumpire1 says...
11:05am Wed 1 Jul 09
What about De-regulation of buses? we now see two or more companies compete for the profitable routes & essential routes cut back or out! The Gov. must now re-nationalise ALL the railways & buses! (at NO cost to the electors!)
2: Does this mean that the HATED barrier proposal for York station (a NXEC idea) is dead?
Lets hope so!!!