Second member of staff on board Northern trains

Government cannot intervene directly in the industrial dispute affecting Northern, according to Rail Minister Andrew Jones.

However, that has not stopped Government writing to the Rail North Partnership, expressing its support for a second member of staff on Northern trains, focused on delivering customer service.

Jones was replying to a Commons Written Question on January 25 from Faisal Rashid (Labour, Warrington South), who had asked what steps were being taken to resolve the dispute. The following day (January 26) was the 46th day of action taken by the RMT union on the Northern franchise.

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said: “Northern should be reassuring their passengers by guaranteeing a safety-critical guard on every train. That is the fundamental issue that sees our members standing firm and united again today on a 46th day in the fight for the principles of a safe and accessible railway for all.”

The RMT is planning more action every Saturday throughout February.

On January 18, Northern Managing Director David Brown called the strike action “needless”, and said both the Department for Transport and Transport for the North had guaranteed that all conductors will work in modernised roles.

Business leaders and passenger groups have also called for an end to the dispute.

Back in Parliament, Jones explained: “Northern have now confirmed to the RMT that there will continue to be a second appropriately trained member of staff on board the trains, and have guar-anteed jobs and pay will be protected.”