The train drivers’ union Aslef has condemned moves to re-privatise South East Trains as a betrayal of the hopes of passengers and public.

"The private sector bid for the South East Train franchise will not be welcomed by train drivers, railway workers or the public’ said Aslef general secretary Keith Norman on Wednesday 24 November 2004.

"Since the Government took the franchise away from its discredited private train operators punctuality and reliability have improved under public ownership," said Mr Norman.

"To hand the running of this vital public service back to the private sector will be seen as a victory for bankers and big business over the interests of passengers and public."

"It flies in the face of the clear decision by Labour’s policy forum and the Labour Party conference to make public ownership of rail a centre piece of Labour Party policy. It will take away a powerful reason for the rail users of Kent and East Sussex to vote Labour."

South Eastern Trains have run trains in Kent and part of East Sussex and on routes into London from those areas since Connex lost its franchise.

The MTR Corporation, which runs the Hong Kong Metro, wants to take over the franchise with GNER, which operates trains on the East Coast Main Line.

SE England Labour MPs and all the rail unions want South East Trains to remain in public hands. 100 Labour MPs called for the franchising process to be halted and for South Eastern to remain state-owned as a model of good practice. Rail unions TSSA and Aslef backed successful motions to Labour’s policy-making bodies that established Labour policy in favour of rail public ownership.

Recent punctuality performance figures show that South Eastern has outperformed its nearest rivals, Southern and South West Trains while passenger complaints have fallen from 23,800 in the last year Connex was in charge to 16,700 in the past 12 months.

Information from Nick Wright, Aslef head of communications, 9 Arkwright Road, London NW3 6AB Tel: 020 7317 8600 Mobile 07976 943514