Virgin Trains East Coast is urgently investigating claims of a rodent infestation on one of its trains. The RMT union is warning passengers and staff of what it calls “a major hygiene and health and safety issue” on trains operating on Britain’s flagship line from London to Leeds, Newcastle and Edinburgh.
The union has published pictures that appear to show rodent droppings in the food preparation and kitchen area on a train.
Mick Cash, the RMT general secretary said: “It is frankly appalling that VTEC, an alliance of Stagecoach and Virgin, have allowed this rodent scandal to fester on their trains regardless of the risks to staff and passengers alike from the exposure to these droppings and the obvious health consequences.
“Passengers paying through the nose to travel on these trains will also be rightly angry to hear about VTEC’s shocking attitude to hygiene and health and safety.”
A spokesperson for Virgin Trains East Coast said: “We’re extremely concerned about these reports and will be investigating as a matter of urgency.”
Tomorrow the RMT begins balloting its members on industrial action over what it says are “attempts to hammer staff with an imposed pay increase and associated attacks on working conditions”.
The East Coast franchise is ending three years early, to be replaced by what the Department for Transport calls “a new public-private partnership”.
The shadow transport secretary, Andy McDonald, said the decision showed “privatisation has failed and our railway should be brought back into public ownership”.
- More about:
- Virgin Trains East Coast
- RMT Union
- Stagecoach
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