BRITAIN?S SPECIALIST transport union, RMT, today blasted the government for wasting the opportunity to bring the South Central rail franchise under public ownership following an announcement by Transport Secretary Andrew Adonis this morning that the service has been re-awarded to the current operator Southern Railways, a subsidiary of Govia.

The new franchise, which will run rail services on a wide geographical area across south London and the South East, will start on the 20th September 2009 and run for six years with a two year extension option.

Whilst condemning the missed opportunity to bring this key section of the rail network under public control as part of a genuine People?s Railway, RMT is giving a cautious welcome to plans for extra staff at stations, provided that they represent a genuine increase in overall numbers and are not just a mechanism for dragging staff out of ticket offices and putting them on gate line duties.

RMT is also warning that plans for expanding CCTV coverage, rather than properly staffing stations and bringing back train guards, could give a false sense of security and are not a solution to the on-going issue of assaults on staff and passengers. They are also at odds with the Secretary of State?s suggestion that an expansion of staff in direct contact with passengers is a priority.

Bob Crow, RMT general secretary, said today:

?The government had a real chance today to turn the tide on the private franchise policy which has been at the heart of the fragmentation of our railways and which has seen our trains run for the benefit of private profits and not public service. By handing the South Central franchise back to Govia thay have blown that opportunity and it?s a kick in the teeth for the millions of people who support RMT?s call for a genuine People?s Railway.?