Progress? Its been proven DOO is LESS Safe everyone who works on the railway regardless of their grade knows this. This is just about the DaFT trying to get more money for the TOC's Shareholders. The Northern and Merseyrail strikes will be a different beast because of one simple fact.... There is NO DOO in these areas whatsoever (unless you include empty stock). The vote has shown the feeling up here, now hopefully the DaFT/TOC's will see sense and put this DOO con to bed once and for all.
I do agree the DfT should pack in forcing it on TOCs.
I can't, however, see any justification for retaining guards on Merseyrail. The argument is totally different (and has its own thread).
The RMT would do well to keep the arguments regarding Northern away from those regarding Merseyrail. The operations are only similar to the extent of there being 2 bits of rail two horses' backsides apart. Merseyrail is better compared to the London Underground, and I don't see any guards there.
Key comparisons:
- Merseyrail has all stations staffed throughout the period of service (except south of Hooton, where you could have a member of staff shuttling back and forward with a ticket machine), Northern does not.
- Merseyrail is self contained, short-distance and all accessible reasonably easily, Northern is not.
- Merseyrail's new stock will have level boarding with moving automatic gap-fillers, thus avoiding a need for wheelchair users to book advance assistance, Northern will not.
- Merseyrail have effective, railway-employed Byelaw enforcement people, Northern do not.
- Most of Merseyrail's key destination stations are barriered, most of Northern's are not, some aren't even feasible to be without major rebuild.
- Merseyrail is fully track circuited/axle counter fitted, Northern is not.
- Merseyrail is almost all two-track where a passenger-led evacuation to the offside would pose limited risks, Northern has many 4-track and more complex sections.
Etc.
In principle, I believe Northern should have traditional guards (but with a blanket switch to driver release/guard close of doors to prevent delays to disembarkation when doing tickets), but Merseyrail should not - there should be more directed provision of on board staff such as security guards/Byelaw teams, platform staff, tourist guides at busy times in heavily touristed areas etc.
