TSSA e-Journal July 2007

LU closures campaign

TSSA is campaigning to force London Underground to drop its plans to close 40 ticket offices. Gerry Doherty led a union team to lobby commuters at Regents Park station - the first to lose its ticket office. Passengers were handed leaflets warning that the closures would lead to confusion, delays and less safe stations.

Stagecoach ‘rip off’

Stagecoach has won the East Midlands franchise amidst dire warnings from TSSA, given its record at South West Trains where peak fares have increased by over 25 per cent. Meanwhile £700m goes to shareholders. ‘If Stagecoach gets away with ripping off passengers, others will be tempted to follow suit,’ says TSSA.

GNER ‘con trick’

GNER claims it has had ‘extensive consultations’ with all its stakeholders as part of its involvement in the joint bid by Virgin-Stagecoach to take over the East Coast franchise. That didn’t include staff. Brian Brock, TSSA senior organiser, met Labour MPs, Mark Lazarowicz and Ashok Kumar, who criticised Rail Minister, Tom Harris for failing to take action.