Boxing Day rail shutdown prompts Labour accusation of Tory hypocrisy

Last Updated: December 26, 2015By

The Conservatives have been accused of hypocrisy for allowing another Boxing Day rail shutdown after attacking the Christmas closures when in opposition.

The shutdown of rail services across most of the country, forcing holidaymakers on to congested roads, comes ahead of another year of rail fare rises due to come into force on 2 January, when the price of regulated tickets will go up by 1%.

Most operators will be running no services on Boxing Day, with the rest running a reduced service.

Patrick McLoughlin, the transport secretary, recently threatened “dire consequences” if Network Rail allows the same to happen again. But Labour said ministers have no effective sanctions – such as the ability to fine the company – other than the power to sack its new chairman Sir Peter Hendy, who only took the role earlier this year.

A determination over whether Network Rail’s licence has been breached, and a decision on whether to impose fines, is taken by the independent Office of Rail and Road.

Lilian Greenwood, the shadow transport secretary, criticised McLoughlin for making empty threats about consequences when he had known for months that there was a possibility that the works would overrun.

Source: Boxing Day rail shutdown prompts Labour accusation of Tory hypocrisy | UK news | The Guardian

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5 Comments

  1. chriskitcher December 26, 2015 at 1:59 pm - Reply

    Mike you’ve got this all wrong. The railways aren’t there to help people with transport issues. They are just there to help the Tories find a route to benefit their rich backers. Sod the public just give the rich the money.

    • Mike Sivier December 26, 2015 at 2:09 pm - Reply

      Then The Guardian has it all wrong – I just excerpted part of that paper’s story.

      • chriskitcher December 26, 2015 at 5:01 pm - Reply

        But even the Grunge is warping towards the Tories and tries to help get the rich richer by not asking the serious questions that they should be asking.

  2. Tony Turtle December 26, 2015 at 6:50 pm - Reply

    OK people, let’s look at the options.

    1. Close the network for two days of a weekend, which is going to be around a 4 day one as Monday is a bank holiday, so they have a bit of an overlap, go home then!

    Or,

    2. Do nothing and have train after train derail hurting thousands and costing the service providers millions to repair/replace them, which will put theatres up even higher!

    This is more than likely much needed repairs, I can’t see Network Rail paying thousands of workers double pay if they could get away with it. Two years ago, people were complaining that trains through Dawlish weren’t running, what if NO trains could ru, ever?

    • Mike Sivier December 26, 2015 at 7:16 pm - Reply

      I take it “theatres” in your comment was intended as “ticket prices”?
      Are you posting from a mobile device with an automatic spellchecker, by any chance?

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