YORK rail track repair firm Jarvis was today accused of failing to service railway points near York for 220 days - four times longer than required under safety rules.

It was also accused of bullying staff who tried to highlight the dangers.

The RMT union's claims - implicitly denied by the company - came as Jarvis remains under fire over the Potters Bar train crash just over a year ago, in which seven people died. A train was derailed at points outside the Hertfordshire station. Jarvis has denied liability for the accident.

The RMT claimed that points 2295 at Colton, five miles south of York, should be serviced every 56 days as a top priority by a "pointcare" team from York.

It said the team was responsible for servicing 59 sets of points along a 40-mile stretch of track, but 2295 failed to be serviced three times in a row last winter and spring, because of staff shortages and inept management.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow claimed that instead of tackling the problems, Jarvis intimidated the pointcare team and was trying to break it up and downgrade members regarded as troublemakers.

But Jarvis said today that all points were maintained in accordance with procedures and guidance laid down by Network Rail.

A spokeswoman added: "We have increased the number of track workers."

Meanwhile, Network Rail - which employs hundreds of people in York - confirmed today that 2,000 jobs are to go.

The jobs will be shed over the next four years from its 14,000-strong workforce at the infrastructure company, which took over from Railtrack last year.

A spokesman was unable to say how many would be lost in York, where the company's London North-Eastern Region headquarters is based.

Updated: 11:16 Monday, June 30, 2003