A damaging national strike by rail maintenance workers is looking increasingly likely after Network Rail promised to defy what it called the steam-age working practices of unions and press ahead with controversial cost-cutting measures.
The not-for-profit company, which runs the railways, was criticised by the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) over a planned overhaul of maintenance procedures. These were found not to have been tested properly and, said the regulator, were likely to worsen safety.
