[The Labour government's policy of continued public spending…]

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The Labour government's policy of continued public spending cuts will mean continuing decline and deterioration in the rail network and services if not reversed.

This is the conclusion of the 87-page reply by the British Rail Board to the government's transport policy consultation document.

The Board goes on to point out that government plans would mean BOSSES I real increase in South East commuter fares of 74% every year until 1981, driving an estimated 60,000 passengers (15% of commuters) off railways and into forms of road transport.

But while critical of the government's inadequate provision for spending on track and equipment, the management document also forecasts a 40,000 cut in the workforce over the next five years. This would slash 20% of the present payroll and of course be linked as in every industry to speed up and intensification of working for those left in a job.

NUR General Secretary Sid Weighell voiced immediate opposition to the planned sackings, claiming that the forecasts were based on a continuing decline in the use and activities of the railways.

However, Weighell still has not outlined any proposals for action to defend jobs and conditions on the railways, let alone to combat the gloomy view of the coming period described by retiring Rail Board Chairman Richard Marsh, who anticipated:

"We will begin to withdraw more services, we will impose speed restrictions, not bring in modern equipment. The net product is not even a cheaper railway. It will be a more expensive railway and the Treasury will have to pick up the bill"

STRENGTH

To fight this prospect the industrial strength of the rail unions, held in check until now by the union bureaucracy, must be mobilised in action to force a halt to the cuts wherever they first take effect, calling on the Labour government to make additional finance available.

The demand at both local and national level must be for the full accounts, plans, manning levels and outside commitments of the Rail Board, along with National Bus and naulage operations to be opened up for examination by elected committees from the transport unions.

On the basis of the information revealed, the unions must draw up a planned national transport system, under workers' management, incorporating the nationalisation of key suppliers, and preserving all jobs in the three main sectors of transport through the implementation of work sharing on full pay.

EXPANSION

Within this framework local plans can then be drawn up for an expansion of public transport systems, creating new. jobs at trade union rates of pay.

In no other way can the thousands of jobs threatened by the Labour government's pro-capitalist strategy of rationalisation and closure be defended or the right to adequate public transport be achieved.