COUNCIL LEADER VOWS TO FIGHT FOR YORK RAILWAY JOBS AS NATIONAL EXPRESS LOSES FRANCHISE
July 5, 2009 12:19 AM
Liberal Democrat Leader of City of York Council , Cllr Andrew Waller has asked for urgent meetings with Transport Ministers to discuss the future of the East Coast Franchise following announcements that it would be taken off National Express by the end of the year.
Cllr Waller said, "I am very concerned about jobs in the city linked to the East Coast Mainline service, and as I worked for 11 years with GNER I have every sympathy with those in the city who are concerned about retaining headquarters jobs in the city."
"I am determined that York should remain a railway city, and I will do all that I can to fight for York jobs. It is also vital for the wider York economy that we have an operator based in the city who will respond to the requirements of businesses and residents."
"It is regrettable that employees, and the city will have to endure another period of uncertainty with the future of the main line service, the second since the franchise was stripped from GNER in 2006 under similar circumstances."
"It is about time that the government, and in particular the Treasury saw sense in the burden that they want to load onto operators."
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