RMT members are set to hold demonstrations in several English cities tomorrow over fears that 'thousands' of frontline railway jobs are set to be axed. The demonstrators will gather in London, Bristol, Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: 'Despite rail fares going up again the government and rail companies are planning to slash rail services and thousands of frontline jobs at stations, on-trains and on safety critical infrastructure. That means our railways will be less secure, less safe and less accessible with more expensive rail fares; passengers will literally be paying more for less.' Meanwhile, RMT members working for cleaning contractor Churchill in London and the South East will strike for 48 hours this weekend, in a dispute over pay.

Council hails progress with new station plans

Rail minister Wendy Morton has indicated a 'positive step forward' with plans for a new station, according to London Borough of Havering council. In her reply to a letter from council leader Damian White, she said that any business plan must demonstrate that a new station at Beam Park would generate revenue consistently over three years. She also warned that the Greater London Authority would be liable for operating losses, and called for an indemnity. Beam Park station was proposed by Havering Council to serve a new housing development east of Marsh Way in South Hornchurch, and would have twice-hourly services to London Fenchurch Street and Grays. Under earlier plans it should have been built by now, ready to be opened in May, but the project was cast into doubt by an apparent lack of any government support.

c2c improves information channels

Passengers on c2c can now retrieve better information about their journeys through a new Rail Updates service, which provides passengers with personalised journey updates including details of any disruption, alternative travel routes and business alerts, using Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp.