RMT Press Office:
RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch said:
“It is no good for the transport secretary to extol the virtues of rail privatisation when the travelling public through its own experience recognises its been an unmitigated disaster.
“This speech is a blatant attempt to divert attention from the crisis engulfing our railways and the enduring shambolic mess.
“Many rail services that are already in meltdown will suffer even more because of plans to cut thousands of rail jobs and jeopardise safety standards but all the government can offer is tinkering around the edges on passenger fares.
“Rail reform and a vision for the industry needs to have public ownership at its core and the goodwill of railway workers to make it happen.
“But with the government hellbent on rewarding the private sector and attacking the terms and conditions of rail staff, good will is in short supply.”