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Public rail pledge gets mixed response

LABOUR manifesto pledges to create a public-sector operator to bid for franchises to run Britain’s railways received a mixed response from rail unions yesterday.

Train drivers’ union Aslef welcomed the commitment, but the non-affiliated RMT union said it fell far short of what the majority of people want — complete renationalisation.

Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan said the manifesto “gives the opportunity for the public sector to operate trains in the interest of the travelling public and the taxpayer after 20 years of failure geared towards the vested interests.”

But RMT leader Mick Cash said the “halfway house of a public-sector competitor” showed a lack of courage and ambition.

“This is a missed opportunity by Labour to engage with the 70 per cent of the British public who support rail being taken directly into public ownership,” he said.

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