NEWS.CATEGORY: Health and safety
TSSA Comment on resignation of Michelle Handforth
TSSA today (Sunday) commented on the resignation of Michelle Handforth, Network Rail Network Rail managing director for the Wales & Western region after the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) launched an investigation into “performance issues” on lines in her region.
TSSA General Secretary, Maryam Eslamdoust, said, “Whilst the events at Paddington on Friday 8th December undeniably happened on Ms Handforth’s watch, there is a bigger picture here of cuts to Network Rail Maintenance teams.
“Delays to essential repairs and maintenance to railway infrastructure mean cancellations and delays on the railway will happen more often, and there will be increased safety risks.
“One person resigning simply isn’t enough. We need to see Network Rail investing properly in the maintenance of its infrastructure and that means shelving its planned cuts.
"Ultimately though, this all goes back to the Government who set the budget that Network Rail have to work with. Transport Secretary Mark Harper needs get real about funding Network Rail so we can have a safe well maintained railway for the future.”
ENDS
*TSSA represents clerical, supervisory, professional, technical and skilled engineering, and management grades employed by Network Rail. We do this on both a collective and individual basis.
*We have previously raised concerns about cuts to Network Rail’s maintenance teams
*Network Rail owns and maintains Britain’s rail infrastructure, including tracks, bridges, tunnels, viaducts, signalling, and many of the biggest stations.
