BRITAIN’S rail unions have urged government leaders to keep the country in lockdown for now amid fears that a premature end to restrictions could put the lives of passengers and rail staff at risk. 

Representatives of Aslef, RMT and the TSSA have written to the governments at Westminster, Holyrood and Cardiff.

The joint plea, signed by general secretaries Mick Whelan, Mick Cash and Manuel Cortes, sets out the case that this is not the time to lift the lockdown and run more trains, following weeks of reduced service. 

Rail staff have had to work throughout the coronavirus pandemic to ensure that key workers are able to get to work and essential medical supplies and food are moved around the country. 

But the unions have expressed concerns that company profits will be put before people’s lives and lockdown lifted prematurely. 

In the letter to PM Boris Johnson, First Ministers Nicola Sturgeon of Scotland and Mark Drakeford of Wales, as well as London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who is in charge of the Transport for London network, the unions wrote: “We have severe concerns over attempts by operators to increase service levels.

“This mixed messaging could be dangerous and lead to the public flouting the rules on travel and work.

“There is no agreement on how actually services can be increased whilst protecting workers and passengers. This includes protections through social distancing, adequate and appropriate PPE (personal protective aquipment) and determination of essential and non-essential tasks.

“We will not accept new working patterns that put the lives of railway workers and passengers at risk. 

“To be clear: we are not convinced that there is any basis at this time for a safe escalation of services.”

Aslef, RMT and TSSA say they would like to open discussion with the governments to make clear how they think services can be delivered safely, calling for an “industry-wide agreement” to be put in place. 

The general secretaries added: “Seeking a blanket increase in services as part of a symbolic and premature drive to apparent normality, at the potential risk of countless lives, is completely unacceptable to us.”

Politicians have echoed fears that plans to increase rail services have not received enough planning. Scottish Labour has emphasised that governments have a duty of care to workers and passengers.

The party’s transport spokesman, Colin Smyth MSP, said: “We are all frustrated by the current lockdown and we are all eagerly anticipating a return to normality, but we cannot start to do that prematurely.

“Scottish Labour is urging the government to work with unions to make sure these plans are in the interest of staff and passengers, and that they aren’t implemented before it is safe to do so.”

A Welsh government statement said: “The Transport Minister [Ken Skates] regularly meets with rail unions to discuss the coronavirus crisis. We’ll continue to work with unions and Transport for Wales over the coming weeks and months.

“Throughout this crisis we’ve been guided by the latest international and UK evidence. We’ll continue with this approach as we consider the way forward.

“The health and wellbeing of the people of Wales are at the forefront of these considerations.”

The UK and Scottish governments had not responded to requests for comment by the Star.