RAIL union RMT urged Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram today to keep his pledge to nationalise Merseyrail.

Councillors are reportedly considering an extension to the current contract held by Merseyrail Electrics 2002, a joint venture between Serco and Transport UK Group, when it expires in 2028.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said an eyewatering £212 million in dividends have been paid out since the contract started in 2003.

Noting that the Labour government has promised a major wave of insourcing, he criticised Merseyrail for being “so greedy they have even refused to directly employ hard-working rail cleaners.

“Merseyside’s politicians now also need to demand that our cleaners are taken in-house,” Mr Lynch said.

“I wrote to Steve Rotheram last October, urging that he supports public ownership, and I am writing to both the mayor and councillors to urge them to do the right thing and bring the service into public ownership when the contract expires in 2028.” 

Mr Rotheram and Merseyrail were contacted for comment.