Just Mick Lynch ripping apart private rail barons in Select Committee

Call Mick the postman because he always delivers.
Mick Lynch was in front of the Transport Select Committee on Wednesday giving evidence on Network Rail's proposals to close ticket offices across the UK.
As you can imagine, Mick Lynch made mince meat of the proposals.
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[@richardowen5321]

Railways should be a service for the people, not a cash-cow for the wealthy elite.

[@petyrkowalski9887]

The tories turned all our infrastructure and utilities into a cash cow for fat cats and shareholders.

[@nearlyretired7005]

All our public services now seem to milk our pockets!

[@williamwilson8582]

Thatcher and Major sold in order that it is a cash cow, particularly French German and spiv conglomerates who use the profit's to subsedise their own transport systems. Public service is secondary to profit .

[@ollieisaninja]

Fully agree. Our public services are being bled dry and skeletonised to further increase profits. This value is then exported to various overseas investment and pension funds. Its a deliberate attempt to erode the level of service and accessibility. It's telling that Mick suggested regulation, the member relied with a "framework", similar to Royal Mail. That's worked so brilliantly so far.

[@pault1289]

Agreed, in other European countries provide transport is seen as a net benefit to the population and is not expected to make a profit. Yet we subsidise roads and the oil and gas industry.

[@cliffhughes6010]

Mick Lynch knows more about public transport than the whole of Westminster combined

[@Midge-xn9tp]

Not difficult seeing as the whole of Westminster knows sod all about anything

[@HubbaHubba64]

All Lynch knows about is how to be a Dictator

[@matthewgee8122]

Mick knows more about the real world than the whole of Westminster

[@crayontom9687]

Trains go choo-choo. I know more than the whole of Westminster combined also

[@HubbaHubba64]

@@matthewgee8122 Is that why he is happy to destroy the railways as no passengers means less trains and less staff needed . Lynch is a Millionaire rather like those in Westminster and still gets paid while the members are losing money

[@MrH1905]

I have to admit my view of Mick Lynch has completely changed. I’m not afraid to admit my original view (based naively on my part on media representation) was that Mick was a classic socialist union leader that wants to prevent progress, protect unnecessary jobs and increase costs through pay inflation. They are not his priorities that is clear, this guy genuinely cares about the service provided to the public and the employees. He is clearly man of principles and decency.

[@jeee6835]

Privatisation is pure greed and now they want even more by cutting to the bone. Its pure greed and as lynch said, last year they sat there and said ticket offices wouldnt be being closed. 12 months on its proven they are nothing but liars. They will lie through their teeth to protect shareholders and the private sector firms that are milking UK Rail.

[@keikoandgilly]

Glad you had a change of view; we had been fighting for over a year now citing that low pay, bad terms and conditions, and accepting devastating cuts like this hurt our passengers and our industry. We continue to fight so that when we leave the railway to retire, it will be open and accessible to all, with better terms and conditions for all coming in.

[@summess5567]

Yep. The Mainstream (and by that I mean 'the Media we can['t actually avoid, rather than the stuff we have to go and find) is largely owned outright by Tthe same finance as funds the Tory party. The Public Media (BBC and C4) is legally ours but the Tories killed the 'BBC Trust' in 2012 and so they're now allowed to appont Tory Members into Executive/Editorial decisions and anythuing BBC/C4 does is punished with cuts (and threats of Closure - as with C4) . THeer's no mainstream paper NOT owned/under threat from those that run the country (and that means 'The money'). It's hard to get real info (though honestly, the Net is DFULL Of real info) becauwse the algorithms push us towards Consopiracy Theories and hate-clickbait... I always recommend looking at the FIGURES, the actual fianncial records and legal documentation. Failing that - Wiki is generally reliavble (it does list it's sources and is HATED by the Right for that), Private Eye is excellent. Between the cartoons it's almost all serious (and legally checked) journalism. Online 'Double Down News', 'NOvara Media;' and 'POlitics Joe' are serious sites for discussing actual politics rather than screaming at people or folowing the planted 'Scandals' that distract us from things like the pselling off of our services/democracy and the policies that Finance enforce on Public Discourse. One simple fact that all our Media wants to distract us from is that those who are in it for the Money are not to be trusted and Money is the means by which the Powerful enact their schemes to ... simpluy get richer... Very often the things they tell us are simpy true - for instance the Tories ARE 'The Party Of Business'. They're there for the profits (however they happen) aand have absolutely NO interest in 'Public service./welfare' aside from it's PR Value. The simple Jouralistic slogan has always been "Follow the money". The money will be the reason evil people do the things they do. Always check the finance. Good luck and aways check the sources!!

[@georgeh5075]

The fact you thought that to begin with is depressing, but you fell under the MSM spell like so many others. Socialism is not the enemy of the workers

[@dominicjohn8954]

Changing your opinion when new information becomes available is a sign of intelligence.

[@ronnielees547]

Speaking as a tax payer, I want all politicians to use public transport (standard class, not first class) for 1 year, just to let them know what the real people in this country have to put up with

[@fishing-gardening-travelling]

They usually are chauffeur driven with bullet proof glass or use private Jets.

[@TalesOfWar]

This is how it works in Sweden. Members of Parliament get no special travel arrangements and they're paid a decent, but not crazy salary (it's about double that of a nurse, which over there is more than here, so yeah, decent money). As a result, public transport in Sweden... is good. Because they come in to contact with it and other public services every day. Only the PM gets special transport arrangements, for security reasons of course.

[@jambott5520]

Best way to guarantee a service is a good is to force the people in power to use it. Want education to be good for all? Make a comprehensive education system with no private alternative such that all kids have to go to the same style of school, funded from the same pool of money spread equally. Suddenly, with rich kids going to the same school as poor kids, all schools will improve. Now setting up that scenario is no easy feat, but Finland has proved it possible. Want healthcare to be good, public transport to be good, you do the same thing.

[@monkeyboybaker_uk]

This is exactly what I always say - politicians should have to use public transport and public healthcare. Then they’d REALLY get it.

[@natuvizion]

Imagine a world ran by people like Mick Lynch.

[@ashleygraham8781]

Many people sat at home, wondering when they'll receive strike pay.....

[@monkeytennis8861]

Brexit would've still happened then. Otherwise, excellent

[@summess5567]

A world which WORKS. And we'd have sorted out Climate4 Catastrophe back in the '70's, as all the experts told us to ... instead of wjhat happened - 40 years of Oil-funded sabotage and disinformation.

[@prav6103]

Will be like Cuba or any other communist state

[@koala6016]

Dear Ashley. There wouldn't be strikes like this if he was in charge of governement. Instead there would be lots of people like you sat at home gnashing their teeth and figuring ways of subverting his policy..

[@paulmiddleton8699]

In 2009 I suffered a major stroke and one of my worries on leaving hospital was my ability to use public transport. But I soon found the the bus services and train services were very helpful in providing ramps and calling my destination station to advise them of my needs. It would be terrible to loose that freedom of travel purely for profit margins. If these companies don't want to provide a service then they should let another company take over.

[@vincentvangogh8092]

i recently caught trains and was very impressed with the help staff gave to disabled customers at various stations i used. Its Insanity to get rid of these valuable support staff

[@grahambuckerfield4640]

@@vincentvangogh8092 So have I, ready with the ramps before the train arrived with the passenger. I also, when the staff were not around I helped a sight impaired lady to leave the station, there was a staff member there to help on her onward journey.

[@DrMontague]

The people stabbed Corbyn in the back and voted bojo as did mick lynch. Sod them let them take the consequences. Who did you and your family and friends vote for?I met many disabled people who called Corbyn scum. I don't pity disabled people anymore, I have met disabled people who smile when they hear of migrants drowning in the channel.

[@cdean2789]

Like the government

[@j.w8680]

If only we had a Prime Minister this dedicated to their job with honesty & integrity...

[@DrMontague]

We could have had such a PM but the working class stabbed Corbyn in the back. Even lynch voted for bojo and I can prove it.

[@s2upac]

@@DrMontague i can prove that he did not.

[@MrGrantSloan]

Especially one who we could actually elect. After all it's what the British people want apparently. An unelected PM in a so called democracy.

[@huwzebediahthomas9193]

And accountability. The three hollow words.

[@stephenguckel9329]

​@MrGrantSloan we do not elect PMs. We elect political parties....they are not Presidents....

[@shingitai5882]

It’s quite alarming that MP’s either aren’t aware or pretend not to be aware of the lack of regulations that should be in place to run the railways for the benefit of the passengers.😳

[@grahambarker3845]

of course they are aware.....its their mates....dont expect anything to change...the working man will be shafted end of.....

[@kyorin6526]

It should never have been privatised. There is no competition.

[@kevinfitz8516]

they have paymasters, they simply do not care about the general public.

[@eXzile81]

You do realize that regulations not only increase costs and destroy innovation, but they also destroy any possibility of legitimate competition that would decrease prices. Secondly, the reason the government can interfere so much is because they are still subsidizing railways and own everything except the train carriages and control it in exactly the same way they control everything else. BADLY. don't feel bad though, there are many who like to open their traps about this subject making their opinions based on what the government wants them to think, that it is all private corporations fault and all that was bad about the railways when they completely ran it had nothing to do with them either.

[@lestrem11]

What passengers?

[@bowantoia8536]

He is so eloquently explaing the situation and the board refuse to listen or understand.

[@DrMontague]

What else were you expecting?! The board know the truth but they have to side with the bosses, the board would have got handsomely paid for this meeting. The people worshiped bojo so they should put up and shut up. And yes many disabled people voted for bojo

[@bowantoia8536]

@@DrMontague you vote for politicians in the hope they do the right thing, nieve I know. The government want to crush unions so they can have us all work harder longer and for less. The EU protected us from the worst of these practices.

[@cmnatic3953]

Thank you Mick for speaking for the passengers. I don't have any learning difficulties or disabilities and am technically-minded. Buying tickets online is an absolute pain in the arse, and prices fluctuate so drastically. I have no idea how anyone with any learning difficulties or elderly are expected to navigate these apps. You want people out of their cars? Make trains more approachable by making them more accessible and cheaper. It's absolutely abhorrent how such fundamental services of a modern society seem to only exist to line the pockets of companies.

[@cryptobee6062]

Buying a ticket online could not be easier.Take the Trainline app for example; enter the station you want to travel from and to, and when you want to travel, choose a train, pay on the app and the ticket barcode is right there on your phone. You are not technically minded if this is hard for you. The other option is using barriers with contactless payments to be made depending on where you scan at the start and the end of your journey as you can do in London and other countries around the world. If ticket offices are closed there must still be one staff member at least on a station to help those in need and all stations should be accessible for all disabilities.

[@jasminx07]

Ticketing apps charge more than ticket offices - anything from a 50p ‘service charge’ or booking fee to up to £10 more than buying in person. The difference between peak/off peak and super off peak is not explicit whereas a ticket officer can explain this to the customer in simple terms. As for the ‘split save’ tickets - I booked online for two people; got charged more, still had to attend a ticket office to collect them and received NINE tickets to juggle through the gates.

[@cryptobee6062]

@@jasminx07 that sounds like an awful experience you had! No doubt it’s easier to tell a person where you want to go and they sort it out. I usually travel the same route so use a season ticket most of the time. That’s super easy at least through apps

[@kaitlyn__L]

@@cryptobee6062 in my experience not all railcard fares are on the apps or the ticket machines, and you also can't get a season ticket with those cheapest fares. A member of staff is required to confirm the identity of the concessionary card user when issuing the ticket to ensure no one is using the cards inappropriately. To this end the contactless barriers are also not an option. It's a shame because I'd much rather touch-in on a gate, but so long as I need a ramp on every station instead of rolling-on it's kind of moot. It's a shame because I _am_ technically-minded (compiled various Linux and BSD variations and all the software for barely-supported processor archs) but the smartphone apps are just so tedious (and often annoyingly laid-out). Ironically I find my septuagenarian dad has an easier time with the apps than me - I miss how they were circa 2009-13.

[@markjohn4802]

It makes it more modern efficient quick and easy, but you can say line the pockets if you like. Youngers are really good at it.

[@Nameless.Hermit]

I haven't been on a train in almost 5 years, and yesterday I went to the station to get a return from Bristol to Plymouth. I was an anxious wreck when I got there, and not only did the ticket office lady help to calm me, she also helped me save 30 quid on the tickets. I was, and still am, so thankful that the option of speaking to someone was available for me. Support the ticket offices, support the strikes, please; for all our sakes.

[@iskrajackal9049]

Imagine a country where every city and town and even many villages have a railway station. Imagine travelling virtually free of charge. Imagine having simple fare structures, porters to help you with luggage, guards to help you on and off, train staff to help with changing trains. Imagine integrated services and timetabling which ensured the ability to travel between two destinations with stations anywhere in Britain within 24 hours, and having sleeping compartments on the longer haul journeys. Well we had all that before the Beeching Axe destroyed British railways. The wreckers were afoot back then, and they are with us again, it seems.

[@grangetowncardiff6935]

Imagine there's no heaven, it's easy if you try. Imagine, imagine imagine. Be a fantasist. Then get real. Pip Pip.

[@elorateq3672]

Start by requiring MPs to carry out ALL journeys by public transport. No exceptions. Particularly not for private 'planes.

[@alangordon3283]

Are you on halucinagenics

[@deblou7]

the robber barons are all about profit, they could not care less about their customers.. the government subsidies alone keep them eating off gold plates, we are and have always been robbed.. time to smell the reality of our dire situation, we have prolific law breakers making laws in the UK... what can we expect?

[@LWQ15881]

But I don’t get how people vote Tory and then spend the rest of their time complaining about the very same party that’s ruined the country time and time again it’s honestly only the English that truly love damaging themselves they’re like a battered wife no matter how hard you hit her she’s still crawling back for more and that’s infact exactly the relationship the tories have with their subjects…

[@richardhoover153]

My 91 year old Grandma regularly travels back and forth to her hometown of Newcastle. She's still healthy, fit and able. However she is still 91, she needs help navigating her way through a station and getting her luggage on and off a train. I book her with accessibility help, the staff are always wonderful. They help her with every part of her journey as they call ahead to the station. If they get rid of these staff, she literally cannot travel to her brother in Newcastle. It would be physically impossible for her. This is horrendous.

[@silondon9010]

Your 💯 per cent right, its called a civilised society

[@DrMontague]

Ask your family ,friends, colleagues who they voted for. I am pissed off with this having to feel sorry for people, they stabbed Corbyn in the back.

[@richardhoover153]

@@DrMontague They vote conservative 🙃

[@DrMontague]

@@richardhoover153 they did vote tory , they smashed through labours' red wall, gave bojo a landslide victory and stabbed socialist Corbyn in the back, Corbyn wanted nationalize the railways and energy companies. When I argued for Corbyn I was hated by many working class people, I was laughed at and scorned at. This is the reason I now side with the bosses, I agree they should close all the ticket offices, the working class voted for a kick in the bollocks and I want to see them roll around in agony crying in pain. But who do the brain dead working class now blame?Ans Migrants, I despise the class I was born into. I wish I had become a tory years ago and joined the party, I would have been wealthy.

[@jvaddison]

THAT Brereton is a peice of work! It is, quite literally, shocking that these politicians are in charge of our country and crucial decisions.

[@lukeandjudeshow9274]

The way he spoke to one of the witnesses telling her they had heard enough of her was shocking. Awful behaviour.

[@jvaddison]

@@lukeandjudeshow9274 That is the exact reason i put the comment on!

[@janeknight3597]

❤ The speaker for the disabled was brilliant. The voice of reason. Thank you so much for laying things out so clearly.

[@siobhan-rae]

mick is so right, when the world is made more accesible it only makes it better for the rest of us.

[@JoBroughton-yw7un]

@@MrHennoGarvieSit in a wheelchair for a week and try and get about you will not last a day.I am not disabled but you are.

[@richardhands904]

​@@MrHennoGarvieHow myopic, please look into externalities of lack of public transport.

[@iangascoigne8231]

⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠@@MrHennoGarvieYou do realise there is every chance you could become disabled in the future and require that help? Then again if it affected you personally you’d be all for it. How do you know they’re benefit scroungers? Are you a Doctor?

[@imastaycool]

Mick Lynch is a BREXITEER....

[@5ynthesizerpatel]

​@@imastaycool I see what you did there. You're trying to conflate Mick being wrong on Brexit, to him being wrong on everything else. But it's very clear that he's very much in the right on everything else - so you fall flat on your face. Be embarassed with yourself for such a pathetic flailing attempt - be very embarassed.

[@martinradcliffe4798]

They want the disabled back to work, so make travel more difficult for them. Geniusses.

[@wolfgangpreier9160]

Te rail operators do NOT want the disabled back to work. They do not care for anyone besides their own personal and family wealth.

[@hatientacetlen4246]

We want disabled people to be able to be independant and productive in society. So we are going to get rid of all the support systems and regulations that allow disabled people to be independant or productive.

[@josephhughes1498]

And with millions of disabled people they’ll be confused as to why the economy shits the bed even more than usual…

[@pault1289]

​@@hatientacetlen4246exactly, this is your low regulation low tax Tory party hard at work for the betterment of the population.

[@j.w8680]

They don't care about every day working class people and elderly people & those with disabilities even less. Often we've come to a ticket machine to have them fail/not take a card & yet no staff to help & they're happy to fine you if you travel without a ticket though... Ridiculous. They should bring it all into public ownership so we can have some accountability again and the service so it's job, be a service for users, not just a milking machine making profit for fat cats who raise tickets prices year on year., yer don't invest enough in modernisation, make huge profits they hide off-shore and then people end up taking their frustration out on poor, hard-working staff rather than an incompetent government largely /solely made up of the elites who are just as out of touch with working class people & those reliant on a transport system for their every day needs, but make decisions that are not ever in line with our interests, just as long as those fat cats keep milking profits at our expense, everything's fine , according to them. I hope this government is thrown out in the next general election.

[@stupa_magoo]

Ex New Yorker here - this is exactly what made the NYC public transportation dirty, dangerous and useless. It has never been something disabled people or parents with infants can use, in fact the first time I used the buses in Scotland I had to hide my tears as I saw how clean, efficient and accommodating they are.

[@SMSCOOBY71]

That's a lie, the busses in Glasgow are honking and the number 2 service or any service to either Drumchapel or the East End is full of junkie scum.

[@tigading2177]

as they say everything from the U$A will eventually arrive here in the UK and not in a good way, but it is what it is. The British public just like ordinary Amarikans are sold on the idea of vulture capitalism, eventually ALL public assets will be owned by corporations.

[@stupa_magoo]

@@tigading2177 that’s a big reason why Scotland needs to be a fully independent country. We already run everything we’re able to control far better than our English overlords. Saving the NHS, environmental and worker protections are top priorities for Scots, more than the already Americanised English it seems.

[@adamarmstrong9408]

​@@stupa_magooI totally agree with you!

[@summess5567]

Ohhh, you'd LOVE the trains used in the EU... 'Luxury' is the word for their public transport. And - itraveling between beautiful Victorian stations - entirely C21 in their use of advanced but HELPFUL tech. And very helpful staff too. Run for the Public, not Profit.

[@adammcgregor7641]

Mick Lynch wipes the floor with them every single time.👏👏

[@lamalama9717]

Love how Mick knows the jargon but only uses it when necessary. Can't beat his straight talking in plain language!

[@summess5567]

Indeed. We need more like him!!!

[@ZombieWoof794]

Recently travelled on the train from Blackburn to Southampton. First time on a train in years. Station staff were an absolute Godsend. The reassurance that comes with just being able to ask a human being if you're going the right way, right platform, right train etc is immense. Keep up the good fight Mick.

[@DrMontague]

The people voted brexit and bojo as did mick. I have now turned right wing, when I argued for Corbyn I was hated, now I argued toclose all the fn ticket offices,they are a waste of money, the money saved should go into the bosses pockets where it belongs. make the working class tories squirm including me!.

[@jantt2193]

@@DrMontague Think you need to take your meds, old fella!

[@DrMontague]

@@jantt2193 I have taken my meds yet I still feel sorry for the mega rich, I am still gonna vote tory just to spite the disabled and vulnerable who voted bojo, if they can't use public transport then that's their problem, they should pay for a private care worker. The only reason these people want ticket offices is because they expect the staff to wipe their asses for them.

[@mypointofview1111]

I've tried travelling by train in Poland and there's very few or no staff to ask if you're in the right platform for where you want to go. Many Poles use Uber because of such unreliability. Do we really want to have such polluted air because a few people want to line their pockets at our expense?

[@normanclark933]

Now living in France it is interesting to hear and compare. French rail is largely computerised, and the onlie boooking is pretty good, but not all that clear to oldies like me. However one stands out for me is that each platform on even mior stations has a plan view of the next train to arrive showing the carriage numbers. The ticket shows bth carriage and seat numbers so you know exactly where to stand for the nearest door. Yet there are still staff on hand when a train pulls in, plus an imediate place to put one's suitcase securely OR you can fir between seat placemets or above seats if you have the strength to handle that. Astonishlingly trains run to almost exact time, are clean (and yes I have heard of the current bedbugs scare).

[@Gph0367]

Mick Lynch is amazing. The railways need renationalizing!

[@Gph0367]

@@christopherlloyd4908 I wouldn't trust these TORY criminals to look after my pet goldfish. I was intimating thst re-nationalization is something we must push Labour to do. Not just railways, but water/utilities and mail

[@user-eh7vq6iw9p]

As soon as privatisation comes in....... That's it...... Fat cat wages for bosses. ... As a service it's absolutely... Rubbish

[@DrMontague]

Corbyn wanted to nationalise the railways and energy companies, mick voted brexit and bojo, and urged his member to.

[@angelaboschetto9106]

They are saying disabled people cannot travel on the train.

[@mjwilliamsb2676]

Not just disabled, unless disabled includes older people with failing vision (I can't see the screen on my large mobile clearly enough to see train times or buy anything like a ticket) and with slow or reduced mobility due to age,, so these changes will rule out many people who are not actually disabled, but who aren't as functional as they once were. Not to mention travelling after dark with no station staff at all being an experience fraught with anxiety for younger, lone women and old people. These changes will mean train travel is impossible for quite a large section of society.

[@sueyourself5413]

@@mjwilliamsb2676 And if you're male and under 50 you're just supposed to fight you're way through? 😆

[@joezanella8949]

They can walk to work can't they.

[@pault1289]

​@@mjwilliamsb2676exactly, any level of impairment will become an issue - if I lose or break my glasses I can't read the overhead signs and find the machines difficult to use. The staff at my local stations are wonderful and take the time to ensure travellers have the right ticket and understand the restrictions. But they've closed the old ticket offices and moved the staff, I assume so they can close these as soon as the regulations are relaxed.

[@angelaboschetto9106]

@joezanella8949 can they ?? Walk to work ???

[@hayzed9491]

The bosses and owners lie over and over are corrupt and don't provide the services they are supposed to and public money is shoveled to them. Workers ask for some of that money after doing what they are told when they are told even throughout covid and they are lambasted and accused of causing all the problems, it's disgraceful.

[@DrMontague]

The people stabbed Corbyn in the back and voted bojo as did mick lynch. Sod them let them take the consequences

[@KeiranCounsellKC1994]

the strike action didnt exactly help is the biggest issue, I found myself hating the unions, because it wasnt a focused suffering inflicted on those owners and bosses, it was one inflicted on everyone, everyone who was already slightly suffering, I mean now by christ almighty the strikes may have subsided but now its gone to shit, I can only imagine its a cash flow issue, ofcourse they were not going to eat into their profit margins, forcing them to only resulted in them holding onto the cash more and doing less spending. its as simple as that. as the customers drop out because of all this were going to head towards a situation in which the companies have to make bigger deeper cuts, or jack up the prices or both! its alright for the operators because they will just troddle off and leave the steaming pile for someone else to clear up, virgin crosscountry cough cough cough, arriva trains wales cough cough cough. to stop all of this mick has to litterally draw up a system that works for the companies and the government and the workers and hand it to the government because its not as if the government have a scoobie what they are doing with the railways anyway but even that wont work because everyone is pulling in different directions with the government not really wanting to be involved, mick could try to educate them and promote the cause till hes blue in the face but they will still sit there with a pencil jammed up their nose and licking the end of a glue stick whilst the whole system is litterally designed to fail, just by the fact the government have to be involved but dont have any interest in it which is why private interests are in it. not to mention that some mps might have their finger well and truely in the private end of things. if the unions want a comany and rail system that works properly and well for everyone, then maybe they should start one up themselves and work on both those areas? would cut out alot of this crap

[@BOZ_11]

@@KeiranCounsellKC1994 If private companies can't run national infrastructure without constant hand holding, then it needs to be nationalised for 30p on the £. The gluttonous pigs have had enough tax payer money, and live in multiple beautiful homes at public expense; sitting on the back of pensioners and disabled people who are completely ignored.

[@KeiranCounsellKC1994]

@@BOZ_11 good plan, so you want a 1970s failing over a 2020 failing? thats the options because if you think for one second government will manage it any better, well yeah been there done that, thats why were here. yeah itll be cheaper for a bit but itll be cut just as much to the bone and every 4 years or so they will look over to try to balance their books and oh my look at all this cash that could go else where, better cut some of that. it happened last time. this system is by no means perfect but guess who is really pulling all the strings in this private model. its the government. once again not managing it properly but not trusting private enterprise entirely. not to mention most of the private companies are actually EU nationalised rail services but there we go, thats how they get theirs so cheap. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jXvJkn6Bi7hofsU that link will help

[@BOZ_11]

@@KeiranCounsellKC1994 Infrastructure wasn't privatised because it's the superior option, it was privatised because tory donors want tax payer money. the only way publicly owned national infrastructure could fail is if/when the Tories start their managed decline program to get it back into private hands, so they can siphon all the money away into remuneration and dividends and then have the bl00dy gall to ask for more tax payer money because they neglected much needed investment in favour of their personal investment portfolios. Fancy siding with nasty little kleptocrats and their donors.

[@kev643]

Brilliant Mick. Time the workers stood up to the public school elite.

[@michaelmacdonell4834]

I went to public school on a full scholarship. I am so very not an elite, unless you count being a misfit wherever I go?

[@DrMontague]

The people stabbed Corbyn in the back and voted bojo as did mick lynch. Sod them let them take the consequences.

[@michaelmacdonell4834]

Naturally you would want someone to look down on while you miss the point. You've made a habit of it, of late.@@alexholmes5026

[@DrMontague]

Mick voted brexit and bojo!

[@amateurcameraman]

​@@DrMontaguedo you understand why he voted for brexit? I guess you don't...

[@dempand4515]

This whole issue epitomises the madness/inhumanity/callousness and hypocrisy of our current government. It's a solution in search of a problem that no one who uses the railways wants. Keep up the good work.

[@biscuit4259]

Tories!

[@steve9542000]

Tories and Labour.

[@SELondonUSA]

Tories, Labour and their corporate masters.

[@boota1979]

@@steve9542000 What's the difference?

[@MrGrantSloan]

It be the Westmonster way unfortunately.

[@timwoodger7896]

If only the clowns in parliament could speak as honest as Mick.

[@DrMontague]

Mick is a clown he voted for bojo he wanted brexit done!

[@hurri7720]

Yes guys like Mick should run the government and not all those toffs.

[@imastaycool]

​@@hurri7720he's a Brexiteer haha

[@skrich9690]

​@@imastaycoolirrelevant

[@imastaycool]

@@skrich9690 describing Britain, are we? Haha irrelevant third country rule taker 😉

[@user-tr6fl1fe8r]

Lovely to see Mick Lynch running circles round his interrogators. He does his research and delivers 100% logic which cannot be argued with.

[@jantt2193]

OM Goodness ... You have got to be kidding

[@MrRailjunkie]

Except in the case of Brexit

[@juliewake4585]

Every time he does this doesn’t he?

[@marktaylor6491]

It's the greed that gets me. The sheer short term greed. How much is too much for these CEO's?

[@joezanella8949]

When have the rich ever said enough.

[@michaelworthington4454]

Unfortunately greed never knows how much is enough.

[@DrMontague]

But the working class feel sorry for the poor millionaires, this is the reason they voted bojo and stabbed Corbyn in the back, they wanted brexit not socialism. The RMT will lose this battle, even lynch voted for bojo. Lynch and his union members will be authors of their own demise. lynch told all his members to vote for brexit.

[@chrisholland7367]

Their greed is boundless

[@ShaunieDale]

Mick Lynch is absolutely priceless! The problem is that these people are determined to de-staff the rail system as much as they possibly can, they will just keep on trying from different angles until they get their way.

[@PostingCringeOnMain]

Can't wait for the "help our own first" crowd to start educating us on why they think we shouldn't help our own disabled veterans use trains safely, pay our own rail workers appropriately or provide profitable spaces for our own catering businesses to sell their produce from... and to ask them why they think we should be letting foreign owned train operators generate profits for foreign owned app developers and foreign owned multi national fast food corporations instead.

[@ukwerna]

and these people are the FIRST to cry for their entitled help from everybody if anything doesnt go their way. We need to sort these sick people out of humanity, and make them the simple workers they are meant to be.

[@adesanyasnipple5338]

Trickle down economics is the best

[@chris-pk1hp]

​@adesanyasnipple5338 there is no such thing as trickle down economics. Not 1 person can quote the person who established this thinking of economics. Its a strawman

[@adesanyasnipple5338]

@@chris-pk1hp it was a joke bro

[@Jon_lad]

It's kind of hard to sell 'trickle down,' so the supply-side formula was the only way to get a tax policy that was really 'trickle down.' Supply-side is 'trickle-down' theory. - David Stockman Reagan's Budget Director

[@Aspen90]

I can’t explain the sense of relief to hear somebody speak such words of truth with such passion and integrity as Mick does in this day and age. Everything he says he means and his knowledge about every area of interrogation is exemplary. Keep fighting, just keep fighting.

[@DrMontague]

Mick voted for brexit and bojo. Full Stop!

[@monaghan5475]

I remember those days well, when the service cared for travellers/customers. Staff the were real people not digitise voices on the other end of an Iphone.

[@alisonc297]

Well said Mick! I found it impossible to buy a ticket online, was so glad to speak to someone on the phone who could help me.

[@DrMontague]

Who did you vote for, the masses worshiped bojo, even lynch voted for bojo., he wanted brexit done.

[@alisonc297]

Absolutely not! No to Boris, no to the Tories, and a big fat no to Brexit!

[@skrich9690]

​@@DrMontague total bollox and you know it 😂

[@valerierooney1299]

💯% Supporting Mick Lynch and ALL the UK striker's ✊ Enough is Enough! Privatisation of the Railways, water and power (gas/ electric), wind and solar...all this should be owned by the public not greedy disgraceful companies.... Keep going Mick!👍

[@petyrkowalski9887]

This is the result of pure capitalistic and unfettered, unregulated tory and corporate greed. After the Potters bar rail disaster, the tories said « lessons have been learned » and now they support cutting safety and maintenance checks.

[@DrMontague]

Who did the working class vote for and give a landslide victory to in red wall areas, yes BOJO, they stabbed Corbyn in the back, they deserve to suffer, ignorance is not an excuse.

[@125brat]

The lesson they have learned is how to screw the general public for more money, a worse service and less rights under the law whilst making the government and operators less accountable.

[@joline2730]

Pet: I am totally *sick* of that phrase - it is often trolled out after a massive disaster and STILL they never learn - but hey, it's only a few people dying 🤬🤢🤢🤬🤢

[@barneymcgroo5805]

Westminster unfortunately has a very short memory. There are no new mistakes. Just the same old uns made over and over again.

[@DrMontague]

@@joline2730 I wonder if those people who died voted tory!

[@lynnhickinbotham3784]

I whole heartedly agree with mick , what a lovely human being , we should all care about the disabled and help them as much as we can , also look after our work force by paying them fair wages terms and conditions, also it needs renationalising

[@DrMontague]

the working class stabbed Corbyn in the back. Even lynch voted for bojo and I can prove it. I have met many pensioners and disabled people who hated Corbyn but worshiped bojo. So cut the stereotypical BS that pensioners and disabled people are wonderful people,

[@lynnhickinbotham3784]

@@DrMontague So you’re happy to see the disabled and old people suffer and let this vile government carry on cobbling all the wealth keeping people on low wages zero hour contracts NHS and social services on its knees Shut up if you have nothing sensible to say to help us out this mess the country’s in

[@DrMontague]

Mick voted brexit and bojo!

[@hannahd4787]

As a disabled and hearing impaired woman, the thought of stations without staff to help, is horrifying. Ableist and sexist. Makes me so angry. How are we supposed to travel and travel safely?!!

[@DrMontague]

Who did you, your family and friends vote for? The masses gave bojo a landslide victory and stabbed Corbyn in the back, they wanted brexit not socialism.

[@pamhadfield2285]

But the train companies don't actually care. You are not profitable. The government want you working though...

[@michealhand1001]

Hello Hannah you all need to organise a big protest,as soon as possible.

[@tommartin7333]

Mick Lynch should be knighted for services to the British public.Those opposing him should have their positions removed.

[@macmachine]

Spain has carriages with special platform level doors allowing disability scooters, etc to drive on without staff help.

[@npblosch19]

After one of the staff lost his life attempting to put out a fire (caused by arson on a train) lost his life due to smoke inhalation. My respect for the people that work and sometimes lose their lives in the service of of us - the general public - has never been so high, good luck Mick!

[@DrMontague]

Wouldn't surprise me if they voted bojo, mick lynch did, he wanted brexit done. Encouraged his members to vote leave, now it has come back to haunt them, their workers rights are being ripped up in front of their noses and they deserve it!

[@vincentpearcejustsimplycla2322]

When did the loss of life ever bother these charlatans ? 😊

[@DrMontague]

@@vincentpearcejustsimplycla2322 How many working class people smile when they hear of migrants drowning in the channel? I have met quite a few, lets admit working class people would send migrants to death camps if they could, they hate them and want them exterminated , they want a final solution. They see them as parasites.

[@Hot_Cold_Blue]

This guy needs to be transport minister.

[@joezanella8949]

Better if he were PM.

[@lestrem11]

We can’t afford him and neither can you……

[@nicolaablett7790]

LEADER OF THE COUNTRY

[@DrMontague]

Don't be silly, he would then have to turn right wing and support the bosses

[@imastaycool]

​@@joezanella8949he's a Brexiteer haha

[@mariacrouch7109]

WE DEMAND OUR TICKET OFFICES STAY OPEN !!!!!

[@robertallen2151]

In other news, when can we start voting mick lynch in as PM?

[@DrMontague]

Wait a minute, the workers stabbed Corbyn in the back and gave bojo a landslide victory, they wanted brexit not socialism, close all the ticket offices, let them suffer, they deserve to suffer.

[@imastaycool]

He's a Brexiteer haha

[@BambiTrout]

@@DrMontague Maybe the older workers did, but my generation didn't, and WE will be the ones who suffer the most and the longest from the destruction wrought by the Conservative Party and the short-sighted fear and greed of our elders. We will also inevitably be the ones who have to pick up the pieces and try to fix everything, and restore Labour to being a true left-wing party, instead of simply a less extreme version of the Tories. Your comment is vindictive and is the exact kind of "let it all burn" message that got us in this mess in the first place.

[@davidpryle3935]

@@DrMontagueYou’re talking nonsense. Socialism is impossible to achieve, while being a member of the neoliberal European Union. Most of Corbyn’s manifesto would not have been allowed under EU rules.

[@geebix]

These cuts are just another way of being able to throw money at shareholders and not the railways, footfall using the railways is diminishing because of governmental stupidity, keep going Mike you are doing a great job.

[@spartacusforlife1508]

Can we all remember that all these rail companies are foreign owned with no agenda to keep up standards but just to make profits for shareholders

[@DrMontague]

Good. Close all the ticket offices, the people voted bojo so be it!

[@damiendye6623]

​@@DrMontaguewhat's this have to do with bojo and the promises of leveling up Britain.

[@DrMontague]

@@damiendye6623 Are you for real? The People including a good majority of the working class gave bojo a landslide victory. They stuck their fingers up to socialism, Corbyn wanted to nationalise the railways and energy companies, the tories want to keep them n private hands so a few individuals get very very rich. This is what it has to do with it.

[@gregrot]

​@@DrMontagueyou win a prize for the most knobish reply.

[@ottconsulting7]

The irony is that they are owned by state companies - who pour their profits from privatised UK railways into subsidising their public railways.

[@Nemesis169]

Mick Lynch holding the rail companies to account and representing the people, time and again!

[@DrMontague]

The people worshiped bojo and gave him a landslide victory, they stabbed Corbyn in the back, now they have to take the consequences. Close all the ticket offices and let the people suffer, they deserve it. I am now enjoying watching the working class tories squirm.

[@imastaycool]

He's a Brexiteer haha

[@gash9883]

@@imastaycoolAnd?

[@imastaycool]

@@gash9883 the muppet voted for less worker rights hahaha

[@amateurcameraman]

​@@imastaycoolno. He voted for brexit, to free the UK from the 'fourth railway package', which is the single european market for rail, and mandates that all public train operations must be (broken up and) competitively tendered to the private sector. And before you start denying actual eu laws, the deadline for contracts to be in place, is the end of this year, so you haven't seen the final outcome of this legislation in europe yet, although the UK rail network is a very good indicator of what the future of rail looks like in europe. Germany is a good example of a country that has done a lot to be in compliance with the eu laws on this issue, and it's no irony that as we speak, the Swiss have had to start banning a lot of German train services from continuing their journeys into Switzerland, because they are often so late!

[@LeornianCyng]

Our entire rail infrastructure is embarrassing to start with. Like everything else, these private corporations along with the successive governments have no idea about railway whatsoever. From architecture and design to new technology, they don’t have flipping clue. Instead they suck all the money out the infrastructure and impose headaches no passenger wants or needs.

[@DrMontague]

The people voted bojo, blame them!

[@pault1289]

It's also the regulations that restrict them. Christian Wolmar has a great podcast about this. Some of the railway operators want to do more innovative things, but Network Rail and the Dept. of Transport governance restrictions make it impossible.

[@joline2730]

Leo: and we INVENTED AND DESIGNED the railways (read history of Hackworth in Shildon) - and whilst the rest of the world have taken up and run with the brilliant idea and create a railway system for their countries, here in the UK we just throw the whole thing on a rubbish heap - unbelievable ‼️😒😒

[@DrMontague]

The people including train passengers vote in bourgeois governments, therefore they get what they voted for. Have you all forget Corbyn wanted to nationalise the railways and energy companies? What happened to Corbyn? The working class stabbed him in the back. Annoyed me so much that I now want to see the rail passengers squirm, close the fn ticket offices , every one of them, take away workers rights. rip their rights up in front of their noses. They are being flogged with a whip of their own choosing, now the will vote for tory starmer, let them feel his cat of nine tails!

[@neilthefish]

London/lrish Mick Lynch you make me proud to be an lrishman ❤❤love and regards from Vigo.

[@acerimmer1023]

Please run for political office, Mick! I'm a lifelong Labour voter....but I would jump ship in a heartbeat..... Mick is the man who talks for working Britain.....which is nearly ALL of us!

[@Alexpage1111]

you know he supports keir Starmer and the current labour party right

[@timwoodger7896]

@@Alexpage1111he also criticises them ! But you already know that 😂

[@Bill-kj5xw]

I support labour but not him

[@steve9542000]

​@@Alexpage1111The RMT aren't affiliated to the Labour party. As Bob Crow said 'why would we support a party, that wants to put the boot into us?'

[@Alexpage1111]

@@timwoodger7896 yeah, that's why it works, no one, or party can do their best if they don't hear criticisms

[@pattysmyth3210]

What liars they are, Mick fights for the people against the corrupt, he always speaks the truth

[@dandonovan11]

As a Conservative, this man is so right. Nationalise the railways immediately.

[@capt.bart.roberts4975]

To quote my favourite piece of graffiti, in Brighton, just outside Brighton Station. "LONG LIVE THE REBEL SPIRIT OF THE RAILWAY WORKERS", in letters 3ft high, and it was capitalised!

[@DrMontague]

The same workers who voted for bojo and get brexit done?!

[@davidpryle3935]

@@DrMontagueYou badly need to educate yourself on the rules of the neoliberal European Union. You also need to educate yourself on the history of the British left, particularly the working class left, who have always been opposed to membership of the neoliberal EEC/EU.

[@DrMontague]

@@davidpryle3935 I am educated you are not

[@davidpryle3935]

@@DrMontague I’m reading your comments, and its obvious you haven’t a clue about the working class socialist left tradition, that Mick Lynch and the RMT come from. Mick Lynch’s legendary predecessor at the RMT, the late Bob Crowe, used to refer to the EU as “a neoliberal capitalist nightmare”. Go and educate yourself, before coming on to KZbin and making ill informed comments about a great trade union like the RMT, and a great trade union leader, like Mick Lynch.

[@andrewlaking667]

Make this man PM!!! Someone telling the truth for once in our beautiful country. He has the balls to stand up to our useless government

[@DrMontague]

We could have had Corbyn but the halfwits stabbed him in the back on voted bojo

[@imastaycool]

He's a Brexiteer haha

[@DrMontague]

The usless government the workers voted in, mick voted brexit and bojo!

[@daves4026]

Spot on Mick.

[@adamcaulton5997]

Greatest living Englishman. Love this guy.

[@user-cs5nt8iw6l]

Mick,simply the best.

[@andrewhoult4630]

well said Mick Lynch the country needs people like you

[@jonathanenglishteacher2376]

This shows the necessity of working people having a voice. In most European countries hearing this voice of working people is normal common sense. In UK it is all too often contested and excluded to the detriment of everyone. Society means everyone.

[@nigelwalker6103]

We need more people like Mick Lynch. He has my total support.

[@mickmen8630]

Look at the rest of Europe prices for rail travel. UK is twice or four times the price.

[@marilynvallance]

Mick Lynch is giving a warning just as Scargill foretold which pits would close more than a year before and was spot on.

[@bradcobb3418]

Mick is legend.🎉

[@TheROLLER1953]

Mick is the man

[@kennethvenezia4400]

As an American, I have no dog in this race, but I just love listening to Mick Lynch

[@alibikes]

Mick is an asset to this country

[@glennwhitlock1272]

I've just come back from a month in a country where the local (to where I was staying) train station only ever had two members of staff (behind glass, in the underpass ticket office). Most tickets were issued via ticket machines. These machines were complicated to operate, broken and vandalised. The station was vandalised and almost all of the on-site shops/cafes had closed down, clearly due to the lack of officials operating on site.

[@DrMontague]

Good. if the ticket machines are vandalised then you get a free rail journey, that's what I call value.

[@chester6343]

​@@DrMontagueexactly, better than the other week when the reduced rail service meant that when my train broke down (which it did) I didn't have a replacement to get on, and then had to wait 2 hours for a taxi arranged by southern, it ended up taking me 7 hours to get to Greenwich instead of 2.. and guess what, I still paid full price lol. Fuck Mick Lynch.

[@steve9542000]

​@@chester6343what a terrible ordeal, im fuming. Lets stop this strike nonsense immediately!

[@chester6343]

@@steve9542000meh doesn't bother me if they strike, bothers me that they pretend they offer a decent service. It's shit.

[@steveobrien9801]

Perfect. Clear calculus from Mick on what the operators are after.

[@stephenguckel9329]

I'd vote for this articulate and sensible man.....

[@user-pm2yo8lv1s]

As a disabled person I be in a permanent lockdown for life. Save our ticket offices

[@jojoh8067]

“Can I come in..” “I think you’ve come in enough and we want to hear from other witnesses” …..proceeds not to hear from other witnesses Well done Mick, and the other witnesses

[@Will-tu2ss]

Listened the whole way through. This household supports you and the train industry Mick 💪

[@megannehover4013]

I used to use the UK trains all the time when I was young. I left the UK many years ago and now, whenever I return to the UK I make an effort to avoid them. They have become much too complicated.

[@simongee8928]

The theory behind privatisation was to cut the costs to the taxpayer. Hasn't ever happened; the railways now cost far in excess in subsidies than BR ever did.

[@amateurcameraman]

Given that it is eu legislation (the 1991 eec directive to seperate train and track, and create a track access charging regime for all train operators), followed by the eu first, second, third and fourth railway packages... There are more reasons for privatisation than you think... And they are all bad!!!

[@richbrown8174]

​@@amateurcameramanso why are a lot of the EU railways still state owned 🤔

[@amateurcameraman]

@@richbrown8174 For the exact same reason that the French still used Francs, the Germans still used Deutchmarks, the Italians still used Lira ect in 1998... Would you have denied the fact that the single currency had been invented before it was actually in everyone's wallets? What about the time between the US presidential election and the inauguration day? Would you deny the outcome of the presidential election because you were waiting for the inauguration?? Surely you inderstand that legislation takes time to be implemented... And in the case of the railways of europe, every member state that the eu railway packages apply to, have all complied with the eu first, second and third railway packages, the deadline for compliance with the eu fourth railway package is the end of this year, and even then, that just means for contracts to be in place. If you go to Germany, and stand on the platform of any major city station, you'll see a variety of private train operators. But they take upto 5 years from the contract being awarded to the start of the new operator. Can you imagine if the Tories passed legislation to privatise every NHS hospital tomorrow... Would you deny that legislation existed and was being enacted, even if the NHS still existed next week?? The law is the law. This isn't my opinion. The eu fourth railway package (also known at the single european market for rail) exists, is happening, and you are free to do your own research now that this comment gives you some appropriate terms to search online.

[@heywhotsgoinon8286]

Mick aint wrong.

[@edpearson8973]

I travel regularly with a friend with a disability. Rail enables him to live a much fuller life than otherwise, but attendant staff at stations are sometimes vital. One experience among so many thousand more... Mick is defending his members, of course, but all our interests too. Makes me furious when he's depicted as somehow radical when he's the sanest guy in the debate.

[@LOrealHardly]

This why public services should never be private....ever! They go from being a 'service' to a means of lining already rich people's pocket.

[@grahamkent2868]

Well said Mick and your crew, fully support you!

[@robwhitton7399]

Once again he’s telling it how it is and leaving ministers embarrassed as to what’s going on Brilliant!

[@rosieHolliday5887]

I don't travel very much these days. But over the years when I've planned long journeys to holiday in the North & the West Country I've always travelled alone with just my child & I cannot tell you how many times I've needed support while at the station. I always need to ask someone where my platforms are, where the toilets are. I'm not very confident around lots of people & when you've got a 5 year old to hold onto with your cases navigating busy stations can be quite a challenge. On one journey I had my case, two deckchairs, a scooter, a skateboard & my child & we got stuck in the lifts in Reading station. Absolutely terrifying. Within minutes a guy who worked at the station was outside the doors of the lift & helped us out. I was so exhausted I could have cried. If they remove staff at the stations I wouldn't travel long distances on trains again.

[@andrewmitchell8859]

This man is brilliant !

[@andypandy955]

These companies are stripping out the railway system then when it fails they will leave the government to pick up the pieces. Railway travel will become dangerous and less people will use trains. Very sad. Near to where I live in rural France they are opening up little stations to help people travel and to utilise the railway system not destroying it. Mick you are a hero.

[@normanclark933]

I should add that the SNCF - the Natioal Train Service IS State owned.

[@liamhumber1203]

Torie Cronies and the Corpo Pals making life miserable for the normal people of this country. Go on Mick 🔥🔥

[@DrMontague]

The normal people gave bojo a landslide victory!

[@DrMontague]

Mick voted brexit and bojo!

[@LightingJedi]

MICK FOR PM LEGEND !!! 💜🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼

[@ianpopple9525]

Mick should be PM he makes so much sense

[@thatpenguinkid]

Give that man a medal. OBE, whatever. He's the most vocal visual apolitical bloke standing up for the British people's genuine day to day interests in the last years. I only wish we had someone with his gravitas holding the road infrastructure to account. We need a Mick Lynch for Motorways.

[@tcpnetworks]

Scrap the whole thing - dump out all of the companies - go back to ONE operator, owned by the government.

[@calebmiles]

It has been obvious for some time that the TOC's are simply maximising profits and shareholder returns. The reality is that such large national infrastructure should not be in the hands of private companies who's long terms goals are simply profit at any cost and not customer and safety centric. The government ran GNER (now LNER) for a number of years and made a huge amount of profit that in a nationalised model would equate to continuous investment. I am incredulous that MP's on both sides of the house are not up in arms about this as its only to clear what the end result will be.

[@DrMontague]

The people voted bojo, blame them!

[@amateurcameraman]

See the eu railway packages for the truth. It is eu law to smash up the state railways of europe, into chunks, and tender them to the private sector. When the government took over failing franchises, it could do so, because the eu law allows for a 'direct award' for a period of 5 years, before it must be tendered to the private sector once more. So when you see a railway franchise taken over by the government, don't think it is a renationalisation. It is mearly a temporary arrangement to keep trains running, and maintains the financially and politically fraudulent structure of the industry, as imposed by the eu. We saw last year in Germany, where the train operator Abellio went bankrupt, that it's German rail franchises were taken and distributed to a number of other private operators as well as the state owned Regional operator (DBRegio), with the aim to tender them back to the private sector within 2 years. Eu laws must be followed. There is no democratic way to oppose them!!

[@jazmo6662]

As a disabled person it is already difficult to travel by train with many unstaffed stations already in existence. Getting rid of all station staff will make it impossible. I'm glad I know have a job where I don't need to use rail travel to get there because there is no station anywhere near it and I can work from Home a couple of days a week. I feel sorry for those who are going to be forced into unsuitable jobs that they can't get to because of the Tories obsession with getting the sick & disabled off disability living assistance allowances (I refuse to call them benefits because they are a necessity not a benefit) and into jobs that they are probably unable to do with employers that don't want to make any reasonable adjustments to enable people to work.

[@DrMontague]

Plenty of disabled people voted brexit and bojo, so cut the crap that disabled people are salt of the earth, I have met many disabled racists and fascists, those who smile when they hear of migrants drowning in the channel. They are only interested in themselves and stick their fingers up to migrants who are desperate to escape poverty.

[@bereal6590]

Mick is spot on, on all these points. I for one wouldn't want to be catching a train at a station without staffing, every cretin going is going to be attracted to stations to cause trouble.

[@DrMontague]

The masses voted for bojo, so lets cut the sympathy BS

[@pugmanick]

Can the disability discrimination act be used against these measures?

[@wolfgangpreier9160]

No, The rail operators are outside of the law. By law...

[@ohyesitsme]

No act or law will stop this government doing what it wants to do.

[@DrMontague]

We will have to get rid of the disability discrimination act, rip them up along with workers rights, the people voted brexit and bojo, so they will have to suffer, and deserve to

[@davidharris4062]

@@wolfgangpreier9160they operate outside the law with the government’s approval and support

[@tonners.pettitt9938]

I'm a very nervous traveller and to be able to talk to a friendly face to help me with what tickets I need and how to get to my platform is essential

[@karimkekhia4369]

mick lynch is literally superman…😍😍

[@alancrane2873]

Love that guy speaks truth

[@simonfranklin7659]

Im not exactly a fan of trade unions, but he put his point across quietly , calmly and without all the usual jingo. I find myself agreeing with him on every thing he said.

[@erickortenbach4355]

Mick, you are a legend. I am amazed how you always stay calm, take time to explain in detail, your arguments. This is particularly relevant given the fact that you have to do this 10, 20 times or more on the same subject matter. I am really concerned if you were not part of the protection.

[@nikki_rush]

As a disabled person I'm so glad this is being raised by the RMT and disability groups. Ticket offices are required for disabled people, this is an attack on the most vulnerable by unaccountable, profiteering train companies. There are few consequences other than their staff going on strike, and I'm bloody glad they are. Make rail public now!

[@stephenglancy8551]

If any of our politicians had the grasp of their brief and the ability of Mick Lynch to communicate it then our country would be in a better shape. Straight talking. Substance. Proper information. It should be that straight forward.

[@DrMontague]

The people worshiped bojo!

[@stephenglancy8551]

@@DrMontague people will worship anything if the right wing press can bombard them with enough propoganda. So sad......

[@user-vo7dt8lh4s]

IT'S TOTALLY REDICULOUS WHAT THESE PEOPLE ARE DOING TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC 😢😢😢

[@robinred2895]

I love Mick Lynch...really. This man. Give him all the help you can...he loves you. x

[@gnothiseauton8684]

Thank you mick Our adult daughter with learning difficulties due to major stroke in her childhood relies on these staff to help her live a relatively normal life - they are robbing people with disabilities- it’s shameful and unacceptable. Who would have thought that progress would be be regressive to our citizens and way of life

[@michaelspencer6171]

Excellent once again from Mick and Katie especially. And what the Rail Operators also won't admit to is the frequency of transaction failures via their online booking systems. Yes they'll take the money, yes they'll make a payment request of your bank, yes the bank will complete the payment - but unfortunately there is no guarantee that the rail website will send you confirmation of booking to enable you to collect your ticket and they will 'ringfence' your money until several days (at best) after your intended journey.....oh and they'll not invest in any internet infrastructure to be reliable enough such that the ticket machines actually work all-day everyday.

[@jamieashton3835]

Agree entirely with mick the workers hero keep the ticket offices open and renationlise the railways and all.publuc utilities they are not q cach cow fir foreign corporations

[@capnskiddies]

I work for Irish Rail. We went through a period of unstaffing stations following the GFC. It was necessary, passenger numbers halved overnight. We're still trying to beat back the ASB that grew and grew in that absence, despite many earnest efforts to staff stations and security points in recent years.