Railway in need of modernization
Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, called for an end to outdated practices in the rail industry to deliver a seven-day service. She highlighted the current reliance on volunteer drivers as a major issue, leading to a patchwork mess in the system.
Push for a seven-day service
Alexander emphasized the need for a seven-day railway and expressed the challenges faced by the public on Sundays in certain parts of the country, where staff volunteering is necessary. She called for discussions with trade union leaders to move towards providing a comprehensive service.
Modernizing working practices
Asserting the importance of modernizing working practices, Alexander stated the necessity of reforming certain practices during pay negotiations. She stressed the need for clarity on productivity improvements in exchange for pay raises.
Benefits of public ownership
Addressing Labour's plans to bring rail operators into public ownership, Alexander argued that this move could help improve efficiency by streamlining management and reducing red tape. She highlighted the advantages of having unified leadership for train operations and infrastructure problem-solving.
Focus on improved management
Alexander launched new screens at Reading station to display punctuality and cancellations data, emphasizing the importance of transparency and accountability in the rail industry.
