Union warning on Metro safety work

May 7 2008 by Adrian Pearson, The Journal

UNION bosses have warned that Metro safety standards could be jeopardised if the majority of work on the rail system is privatised.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers union have called on Metro owners Nexus to do all it can to avoid selling off responsibility for the rail service, or risk facing the same financial and safety problems which almost crippled the London Underground.

The union wants to make sure that if the Government hands over a £600m Re-invigoration package this summer, it does not lead to Nexus transferring control to the private sector and placing profits before passenger concerns.

Last night Nexus insiders rubbished the union’s fears, insisting that if it did decide to contract out services, they would still own the train system and would set strict standards.

The RMT has warned Nexus bosses to look south if they want to see the results of moving services from the public sector into the hands of private companies.

They are now comparing the potential problems of a Metro changeover to the controversial situation in London when maintenance company Metronet took over.

Yesterday RMT general secretary Bob Crow said Tyneside faces the ghost of Metronet and warned of a tooth-and-nail fight against privatisation.

He said: “The corpse of Metronet is barely cold, yet the Government is insisting that another highly-successful Metro system is subjected to a process that could see its maintenance thrown to the privateers.

“They say that history’s tragedies repeat themselves as farce, but this time there is not even any pretence that there will be any private-sector investment.

“That means that private shareholders stand to get a fat profit for doing nothing more than overseeing what Metro’s own maintenance staff already do perfectly well.”

Nexus has insisted it has no intention of seeing any Metro standards slip.

A spokesman said: “The comparison with Metronet is simplistic. Metronet was one of two similar concessions let by Transport for London to manage infrastructure only.

“Metronet’s performance failed to meet the levels set down by Transport for London while the other concession, Tubelines, continues to operate very successfully. There are lessons to be learned and we’ll incorporate these into our own distinct plans.

“There is no proposal to privatise Metro or break up the operation.”

For previous stories about the Metro Re-invigoration, click the links below

£600m scheme for revamp of Metro

'It'll be out with a begging bowl'

Blair pledges to help keep Metro on track

Fears ignored

ENGINEERING firm Metronet was repeatedly criticised for its safety standards in London throughout its four years in charge.

Concerns increased following a train derailment and the company went into administration after overspending by more than £1bn.

It was awarded the maintenance contract in 2003 despite then-mayor Ken Livingstone’s objections and his concerns for safety standards.

By summer 2007, bosses were packing up as anger mounted over the huge sums of taxpayers’ money spent on the increasingly expensive private-sector option.

The company’s financial problems were blamed on Metronet’s policy of sub- contracting work among its partners, a selection of engineers who did not face the same punishments if they failed to do the job on time.