Union Warns UK Government not to Stall on Rail Project

The UK's largest rail union the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport workers (RMT) is urging government and big business not to allow the collapse of failed London Tube consortium Metronet to stand in the way of 'essential' rail projects and upgrade work.

In a statement issued today the RMT have directed a warning to government and business about the importance of funding the Crossrail project, which has been designed to connect East and West London and ease heavily congested routes.

The RMT believe the business sector should not be allowed to dictate how much they are willing to contribute to the project. "Businesses stand to benefit massively from Crossrail so it is only right that they should be expected to make a realistic contribution towards the cost," RMT general secretary Bob Crow says.

The union also issued a warning to the government to consider tube upgrade work and the crossrail project as equally essential, warning that the collapse of failed Tube privateer Metronet must not become 'the latest excuse for blocking the long-awaited cross-London line'.

Crossrail will run from Maidenhead and Heathrow in the west right across the capital into Essex and Kent in the east, travelling underground through the city centre between Paddington and East London.

Crossrail is expected to make travelling in the region easier and quicker and reduce crowding on London's transport network, operating with mainline-sized trains and carrying more than 1,500 passengers on each train.

By Ozge Ibrahim