THOUSANDS of North East protesters are set to join a mass demonstration against the coalition’s cuts next month.
Around 50 buses and trains will take around 6,000 people from the region to attend the march in London, according to the TUC which is organising the protest.
In total, more than 100,000 people are expected to join the demonstration on March 26.
And the scale of the protest is underlined by the fact that some 500 coaches will be bringing people into London, which end to end would be about seven miles. The TUC claims the coalition’s plan to eliminate the deficit in four years is a “savage” timetable that will depress the economy.
But Liberal Democrat and Tory ministers have insisted action is needed to avoid the financial crises which have hit countries like Greece and Ireland.
TUC regional secretary Kevin Rowan said: “The march is to have a big national focus for the anxiety, concern and anger that people are feeling around what is happening around the public spending cuts, public service and public sector job losses. So, it is an opportunity for a major collective demonstration against all that.”
He added: “We have been overwhelmed as the TUC, and the trade unions are the same, in terms of people wanting to go to the event.
“We think there is in the region of 5,000 or 6,000 people coming down from the North East at least. They are the ones that we know about.
“A number of trains have been pretty much filled and coaches going from all over the region.
“We certainly know there are some- thing like 1,000 people travelling by trains where tickets have been organised through the TUC and trade unions.
“A whole host of people are also going down under their own steam. And we know there is something like 50 coaches going from the region. It is quite a major mobilisation of people down to the South East.”
Mr Rowan predicted that “well over” 100,000 people would join the protest and stressed they were there to demonstrate against the Government’s plans rather than cause trouble.
Union events were “very well disciplined and organised”, said the TUC regional secretary.
