We will save passengers from rail strike misery

After my appointment this summer, one of my main priorities as Transport Secretary was to publish data on train punctuality. Before, a train could be considered “on time” if it was five or even 10 minutes late. We changed that, so a train is now officially late if it’s a minute behind. As a frustrated rail commuter myself, I know the anguish felt when trains are late or fail to run at all. The latest announcements on strikes in December, therefore, I know could cause misery for millions.

We need to get Brexit done and end the gridlock in Parliament so we can return to the priorities that matter to people. The railways, for example, were pioneered in Britain. The potential of towns and rural areas was unlocked as commerce, goods and ideas flowed freely. For the first time, long-distance travel was available for working people. More and more people ventured to new places. It’s why our manifesto, published today, prioritises infrastructure.

Two decades into the 21st century, however, and trains are too susceptible to disruption. The latest threat comes from politically motivated industrial action by the rail unions. Commuters are facing cancelled trains in the run-up to Christmas in an escalation of strikes leading up to the general election. Passengers are being held to ransom in an attempt to effect political change. By causing disruption, Jeremy Corbyn’s friends in the unions are hoping to undermine the government and influence the election.

One of the main justifications for industrial action has been the idea that drivers, rather than guards, can open and close the doors of trains. Rail unions have claimed that this is “a lethal gamble with passenger safety”. Yet official data shows the opposite. A third of trains on the national network – and all trains on the London Underground – are already driver-only, with the full agreement of the unions. And despite a doubling of passenger numbers in recent years, passenger deaths and injuries on trains have fallen dramatically. Only two passengers in the past decade have died while boarding or alighting from a train – and both the trains in question had guards.

These strikes damage passengers’ livelihoods and confidence in rail – one of the most environmentally friendly forms of travel. And industrial action on the railways has escalated since 2016. More than 160 days of strikes have taken place over the period, or are planned. Last year, transport workers struck over three times more than the UK average. It is unacceptable that the public are being used as pawns in this campaign. It must stop and, if there is a majority Conservative government elected, we will take action. Today, we’re announcing that we’ll introduce a minimum service requirement to ensure that, even when strikes occur, services can continue to operate. This will give some level of guarantee to commuters that their trains will continue to run in a safe manner.

We would legislate to require rail employers and unions to enter into minimum service agreements (MSAs), which would oblige both parties to operate minimum service levels in the event of strike action. MSAs would set in advance the number and nature of staff who would remain at work during any strike. If the parties were unable to reach agreement, the question would be determined by a tribunal. Such a requirement is the norm in many places, including countries whose rail system Mr Corbyn claims to admire, such as France, Italy, Spain, and Belgium.

The contrast with Mr Corbyn’s Labour could not be starker. They want to throw taxpayers’ money at pursuing mass nationalisation. Breathing new life into British Rail will mean less investment and poorer services for passengers. It should never be forgotten that it was under a centrally planned British Rail, where bureaucrats called the shots, that the Beeching cuts occurred (a policy we’ll reverse if elected).

Not content with crippling the NHS with its plan for a four-day week, Labour’s union friends are also balloting Tube workers to strike for the same. Tube drivers do a tough job, with some earning more than £100,000. But other people work hard, too, and it is not fair they are prevented from getting to their place of employment.

There are wider reforms needed to the railways, including bringing together the operation of train and track to avoid timetable disruption. We also need to make ticket pricing more transparent and fair. With the right investment, reformed management and renewed ambition, we can restore connections to our communities and improve the lives of commuters. We can help people choose to leave their car at home and reduce carbon emissions, too. It is time, 190 years on from the appearance of Stephenson’s Rocket, that we sorted our railways. A Conservative-majority government will get Brexit done and take action to secure the punctual services commuters deserve.