Passengers Asked to Support Rail Strike for Safety

The Public Transport Users Association would like to remind passengers that the strike by railway staff in Auckland tomorrow is caused by both Auckland Transport and multi-national corporation Transdev attempting to cut costs instead of increasing safety for passengers.

PTUA Coordinator Jon Reeves said “When around one third of all trains will be operating with no one onboard able to help passengers in distressing or dangerous situations that will be a major concern for public transport users. We would like train passengers to understand their safety is potentially at risk with the decisions made at Auckland Transport and Transdev so the PTUA has to support the Railway and Maritime Transport Union on this occasion. We want train users to be safe on every trip they take and that won’t be the case with AT and Transdev’s plans”.

This strike and the safety issue surrounding surely must be a call to the new Government that it should step in as all is not well on many levels at the out of control organisation Auckland Transport. Many Aucklanders believe Auckland Transport is out of control. We have lost democratically elected Councillors on the Board and even the Transdev train operating contract needs to be questioned. “The contract Transdev has to operate Auckland trains has not be open to tender for thirteen years, but it was supposed to have been a few years ago. Perhaps Kiwirail operate Auckland trains better than Transdev? What is going on? Public safety on trains is now being attacked.” Reeves says.

Should this situation not be resolved the PTUA is planning to hold a major public meeting so the public can find out about the dangers of having no staff on board many trains and will invite the Chair of Auckland Transport Dr. Lester Levy, Mayor Phil Goff and Micheal Ladrak the CEO of the Transdev. “I am sure passengers will want to grill them for letting Auckland down” Reeves said.

ENDS

The PTUA is a voluntary organisation to represent current and future users of public transport across New Zealand. We are completely independent from Auckland Transport and other regional transport authorities and are the only organisation in New Zealand to protect passengers’ rights.

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