Back Pedalling

Funny, isn't it? There hasn't been a major rail crash for a while, so the SRA is back-pedalling on safety improvements.

The Cullen report into the Paddington and Southall crashes said that the European Rail Traffic Management System should come in by 2010. It's a step up from TPWS and can stop trains passing a red on 100mph lines, but the SRA has delayed it until the 2020s.

Not funny at all. It threatens the lives of drivers, other on-train staff, and passengers.

TfL: Mayor vs. Workers

A new(ish) employer, a new union branch, and they are at war already! TfL (boss Ken Livingstone) imposed a new code of conduct, victimised union reps, moved the Travel Information Centre and cut jobs at the Museum.
So, following a 6:1 ballot majority, TfL staff have held two one-day strikes.

Midland Mainline

The last OTR reported on Midland Mainline running multi-unit trains with only one guard. Guards refused to work the trains, but when RMT balloted to make this action official, the courts ruled it illegal!

RMT has since held a legal ballot and a strike by hosts. The dispute is now settled, with stronger risk assessments. But members are left wondering whether they could have got a better result by involving more grades, and why they needed to ballot rather than just carry on refusing to work.