BRITAIN'S BIGGEST rail union today called on the government to intervene urgently to stop job losses at rail-freight company EWS that would inflict lasting damage on the economy and environment.

RMT said that, alongside sister rail union TSSA, it was seeking an urgent meeting with transport secretary Geoff Hoon to discuss emergency support for the railfreight industry.

"The job losses announced by EWS have the potential to do lasting damage both to the economy and the environment, and it is imperative that they are stopped," RMT general secretary Bob Crow said today.

"Renationalisation would be a far better option than allowing the recession to scupper essential rail-freight capacity, but urgent action is required and we are seeking an urgent meeting with Geoff Hoon.

"Once we start losing trains and hubs the long-term cost of re-investing will be far greater than emergency intervention to keep them in business.

"Privatised companies like EWS are blinkered by short-term financial considerations, but the railfreight industry has a pivotal role to play if we are to come out of this recession with an environmentally sustainable economy.

"That is why we need urgent action now, and if the private sector is not capable of sustaining EWS's capacity then the government should bring it back into the public sector," Bob Crow said.