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| South West Trains cuts 480 jobs | South West Trains cuts 480 jobs |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Rail company South West Trains (SWT) is to cut 480 jobs. | Rail company South West Trains (SWT) is to cut 480 jobs. |
| It blamed "reduced passenger growth and an increasingly challenging economic climate" for the decision. | It blamed "reduced passenger growth and an increasingly challenging economic climate" for the decision. |
| Train drivers, guards and frontline fleet maintenance staff are unaffected, with the cuts coming from management, administration and other positions. | Train drivers, guards and frontline fleet maintenance staff are unaffected, with the cuts coming from management, administration and other positions. |
| SWT said it made the decision to ensure it could operate efficiently. The company said it began talks with trades unions over the plan on Thursday. | SWT said it made the decision to ensure it could operate efficiently. The company said it began talks with trades unions over the plan on Thursday. |
| SWT operates routes through Hampshire, Surrey, Dorset, Wiltshire, Berkshire, Devon, Somerset, Cornwall and London. | |
| The company said that taking into account existing vacancies and posts which have been withdrawn, the actual number of people losing their jobs would be about 200. | |
| Decisive action now... will allow us to maintain high-quality train services for our customers." SWT spokesman | |
| A spokesman said: "There will inevitably be changes to how we manage a number of areas of our operation. | |
| "We are also very aware that these proposed changes will be difficult for those staff affected. | |
| "But we are all aware we are operating in an unprecedented economic environment, which is affecting all areas of the economy from the public sector and voluntary organisations to small businesses and major companies. | |
| "We expect this challenging climate to continue through 2009 and into 2010. | |
| "Decisive action now... will allow us to maintain high-quality train services for our customers." | |
| The job cuts were announced on the day a leaked memo to BBC South revealed that SWT has been cutting the length of nearly 100 trains a day to save money. | |
| The firm, which runs about 1,700 services a day, said the cuts affected daytime and weekend rail users and not rush-hour passengers. | |
| A SWT spokeswoman said shorter trains used less electricity so the move was "good housekeeping". The programme to cut train lengths has already begun. | |
| Jocelyn Pearson, of Passenger Focus, said: "If this saves money without inconveniencing passengers then we have no objections." |