By Ellis Butcher

Last updated at 11:38, Thursday, 16 August 2012

Railway jobs in Cumbria are safe with FirstGroup, says the man in charge of the company taking over Virgin services from December.

Related: Virgin loses West Coast rail franchise

FirstGroup’s Vernon Barker was speaking as the Aberdeen-based transport giant was unveiled as the winning franchisee to run services on the West Coast Main Line between Glasgow and Euston for the next 13 years, taking over from Virgin.

He roundly rejected concerns that passengers or Virgin staff had anything to fear from his company.

Around 100 Virgin staff serve platforms and provide on-board services at Carlisle, Penrith and Oxenholme. Carlisle also has a large catering depot providing food and drinks to trains.

In an upbeat message in defiance of union suspicion and political cynicism, Mr Barker promised passengers more trains, 15 per cent fare discounts on some journeys and improvements to onboard services.

Mr Barker said: “We are looking at enhancing the customer offer and experience. I am really looking forward to welcoming all of the Virgin staff in Cumbria across to us.

“I want to reassure them. The shops on Pendolinos will be staying and it will be refreshed and the at-seat trolley service enhanced. There will be enhancements to the rolling stock serving Carlisle and refurbishment of Pendolinos and Voyager trains.”

He went on: “We are enhancing what we need on the front line. We are going to need more people on the frontline. There will be catering throughout and standard class will see a trolley service and real improvements.”

Mr Barker described recent criticisms by city-based Craig Johnston, the area chief RMT representative, as “needless scaremongering.”

Mr Johnston hit back saying the company’s figures “ don’t add up.”

“You don’t have to believe the RMT. Industry experts are seriously questioning the viability of the arrangements.

“This bid doesn’t look viable,” said Mr Johnston.

Some Virgin staff on the West Coast Main Line were in sombre mood yesterday. Asking not to be named, one said: “Sometimes it’s better the devil you know than the devil you don’t.”

Another added: “You just have to carry on and see what happens, don’t you.”

Lakes MP Tim Farron wants to meet FirstGroup bosses “as soon as possible.” Mr Barker said: “I’m looking forward to meeting Tim.”

Mr Farron said: “FirstGroup have not covered themselves with glory locally with proposed cuts on their TransPennine franchise – and at the meeting I will also take the opportunity to raise our campaign to defend through trains from Windermere and Grange-over-Sands to Manchester Airport, which are vital for tourism and business in the Lake District.”

Meanwhile the RMT - strongly hinting that Virgin terms and conditions are likely to change for the worse under FirstGroup - said: “They should be under no illusions that any attack on the staff will be met with a ballot for industrial action.“

First published at 11:27, Thursday, 16 August 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk