York jobs under threat in Network Rail move

STAFF at Network Rail’s York offices are waiting to hear if plans to move more than 200 jobs to a national centre in Milton Keynes are to go ahead.

According to the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) jobs at the rail infrastructure companny would be switched by the end of 2009.

It said that 160 jobs, most of them from York, would move initially followed by a further 60.

The planned move would affect Network Rail’s National Delivery Service which co-ordinates maintenance and repair work.

David Chalkley, of the TSSA, said: “Network Rail have consulted with the trade unions last week on the move of 200 jobs in the National Delivery Service from York to Milton Keynes.

“We are in the early days of consultation but these jobs are intended to move before the end of this year. This will have an effect on the economy of York as well as a terrible effect on the members that we represent who work in the York offices.”

He added: “At the moment our members are in a state of shock because either they have got to up sticks and relocate or they have got to find other work.”

Network Rail said: “No decisions have been made about how many, if any, jobs will be relocated from York.”

However, Iain Croucher, its chief executive, said that although Network Rail spanned the UK it had no national hub – something it wanted to remedy. 

“Creating this heart for the business is an important step in delivering our long-term plans,” he said.

“That is why we have started planning ahead for a state-of-the-art centre based in Milton Keynes. Creating a national centre will make us better and innovative in the way we work, supporting our routes to deliver a better service for our customers and rail users.”

The company said the new centre should be up and running by the end of 2011.

Andrew Waller, the Lib Dem leader of City of York Council, said he would request a meeting with Network Rail.