PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
UK RAIL FREIGHT JOBS AND CAPACITY (8 December 2016)

That this House recognises the huge importance of rail freight in reducing carbon emissions and costs associated with road congestion; is therefore concerned at the announcement by the UK's largest rail freight company, DB Cargo, that it is to cut 900 rail jobs throughout the UK which will be a 30 per cent reduction in a skilled railway workforce, therefore further threatening the future of UK rail freight; notes that the cuts are in part being blamed on a decline in coal and steel freight, but is concerned that this decision is being driven by the business interests of the German state railway which owns DB Cargo; is further concerned that the most recent company return for DB Cargo (UK) Ltd states that in the previous year the company disposed of its interest in 90 railway properties to third parties raising £156 million which will ultimately be used as a source of revenue for German state railways; believes that instead of allowing the asset stripping of the UK's freight industry the Government should be urgently intervening to stop these job losses; and calls on the Government as a matter of urgency to begin to develop a long-term strategy for freight as part of a sustainable industrial strategy, including expanding rail freight infrastructure and capacity, giving greater priority to freight in railway strategy and developing publicly owned rail freight.

Sponsored by:
Paul Flynn (Labour)