RAIL infrastructure workers moved onto a “national dispute” footing today in response to a threat of thousands of job and safety cuts at Network Rail.

The RMT union, which has 20,000 members in track maintenance and signalling, reacted angrily to plans revealed by the state-owned company that include a shocking 50 per cent reduction in safety-critical maintenance.

RMT described the plans as a return to the “disastrous days of Railtrack,” when cost-led corner-cutting by the then privatised company led to the Hatfield crash of 2000 in which four people died and 70 were injured.

The union has already drawn a line in the sand over a threatened industry-wide pay freeze, warning of co-ordinated action to defend members’ living standards and working conditions.

But NR officials told the union this week that it would press ahead with cost-cutting measures, including halving the frequency of safety-critical cyclical maintenance under the guise of a new “risk-based” regime.

RMT assistant general secretary Mick Lynch said: “NR told us that, on top of a pay freeze of undefined length, the Department for Transport had ordered them to make dramatic cuts to their cost base.

“We are now on a dispute footing and will be preparing an industrial action ballot to fight job cuts and any move to cut back on maintenance.”

General secretary Mick Cash said: “Under orders from the government, NR is using the Covid-19 drop in passenger numbers and service levels to rush through the most radical restructuring of the railway infrastructure since privatisation.”

Mr Cash said that he would seek an urgent meeting with Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, while adding that the union had no choice but to prepare for a dispute “to protect the livelihoods of our members and the lives of rail passengers and workers.”

NR chief executive Andrew Haines said: “Outdated practices and the impact of Covid on passenger numbers show that the railway is not serving passengers, taxpayers or staff as well as it should.

“That’s why we want to work constructively with the unions to create an industry fit for the 21st century that is genuinely safe, efficient and effective for everyone.”

TSSA general secretary Manuel Cortes said: “Our response is clear: we aren’t looking for a dispute, but if you don’t back off from putting in place proposals that will result in job losses before we have secured agreement on measures to protect our members, you will get an almighty one.”