Upper Calder Valley passengers are increasingly fed up with the rubbish train service on the Transpennine route run by Arriva Rail North – a private, profiteering company owned by Deutsche Bahn, which is turn is owned by the Federal Republic of Germany. To add to the confusion, Arriva Rail North announces itself publicly as Northern trains.

On 20th September Calderdale Trades Council held a meeting in Halifax Town Hall where Craig Johnston,  National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) Relief Regional Organiser North, spoke about the dispute with Northern over driver-only operated trains.

Craig Johnston outlined crucial safety reasons for resisting driver-only operated trains and said  RMT encourages passengers to confront Northern eg through the Facebook group, Northern Resist, about fare rises, poor rail links, poor services, penalty fares policy, closure of ticket offices and the policy of only selling the most expensive tickets on trains. Continue reading →