NETWORK RAIL’S £1.5 billion sale of thousands of railway arches was a “stupid move” that put small businesses and the railways in financial jeopardy, the RMT has said.

The union’s general secretary Mick Cash accused Network Rail and the Department for Transport (DfT) of not “giving a toss” about the financial stability of Britain’s railways.

Mr Cash made the comments after the House of Commons public accounts committee (PAC) released its report yesterday into the sell-off of 5,261 railway arches.