NS employees are afraid of their own track and trains – AD.nl

NS employees are afraid of their own track and trains – AD.nl

Drivers and conductors are sounding the alarm about the quality of the trains and equipment that they need to work. The rails and switches have many flaws, according to a major study of trace union VVMC among members.

Of the 870 surveyed railway employees give almost 6 in 10 have no faith in material or technique that they face every day. Concretely sprinter trains, track and switches listed as the main culprits. Also on the so-called rail pocket, a pocket computer for staff is critical.

Dramatic skimped on
,, Trains driving around for weeks with defects are more unfortunately rule than the exception. ” says one of the railway employees. ,, Better infrastructure maintenance, “argued another. ,, There is dramatically cut back on. Drivers and conductors the trajectories can designate where the track so bad to lousy with lies. ”

Wim Eilert rail union VVMC calls the situation “serious”. ,, These complaints have been playing for years. There has to be really more money for better infrastructure. Everything is outdated and the staff gives an unsafe feeling. In some places the track so bad that the NS personnel advised to rather sit down so injuries and accidents inevitable. “

Transport company NS and rail manager ProRail to jointly respond to the VVMC investigation, despite they are two separate operating organizations.

Safest way
They report: ,, The train has been the safest way to travel within the Netherlands. At ProRail and NS state safety of passengers and employees first. This survey is a good opportunity to engage with each other. So we could better understand what the possible concerns of the railway staff. On average, our track well, but we want to keep improving. “

Secretary Wilma Mansfield (Track) reacts much more critical of the report. ,, 2015 NS should work on more reliability in the train and so ensure less disruption and downtime of trains. Also, ProRail should ensure a safer and more reliable railway system. We still have to make a good balance between safety, reliability and capacity. Every incident is one too many. “

Improve
yet is the minister at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment also positive leads. ,, This is what a large number of railway employees (36.4 percent) technical innovations such as the European safety system ERTMS as improvements to rail safety. “

An insider says that even within the NS the cry for more investment the track. ,, The Dutch track is outdated and overcrowded, there must be extra money to go. Improvements will only take years, that’s a fact. “