[Archive] Northern (Arriva Rail North)

[knutstransport]

RE: Northern (Arriva Rail North)

(28/02/2017 22:44)Sprinterdriver Wrote:  I'm not sure how you know that given that the staffing of the new trains for Northern hasn't even been discussed!

SD.

The second member of staff on DCO services is a franchise requirement as DfT want a visible staff presence on services operating without traditional guards. It also has to be a contracted franchise employee, no agency staff and noone on a zero hours contract. The bit about it being Northern Connect services isn't in the public version of the franchise agreement but seems common sense as new trains are being built so the doors can be released and closed from the driving cab, while it would be costly to modify trains like 150s for DCO or DOO. (The franchise agreement only mentions DCO not DOO but the RMT reject the difference as the second member of staff on DCO services doesn't have to have as much training as a guard.)