800 Jobs secured for West Coast Rail staff

Hundreds of jobs were secured for West Coast line rail staff this week as rail boss rubbished claims that 800 workers could face the axe.

FirstGroup head Richard Parry refuted the rumours that 800 positions would be cut stating emphatically “That is not true at all.”

He added;

“We are not looking at cuts in services or job cuts on that scale. For the first five years or so, the number of jobs will stay broadly flat.”

Rail union RMT, made the claims that more than 800 roles could be at risk under potential plans to stop catering and other passenger services on the West Coast line.

The rumours come after FirstGroups successful bid for the West Coast line that links birmingham to London and Glasgow.

The decision to award the  bid to FirstGroup has been criticized by Sir Richard Branson who calimed that the company would have to “drastically cut” quality to deliver profit margin targets.

Around 2,900 West Coast rail staff are set to transfer to FirstGroup due to the bid.

Mr Parry added;

“It is not a story about cuts – it is about getting the best out of the people who work on the West Coast Line.”