The Panhellenic Union of Traction Personnel (PEPE) welcomed statements by Alternate Transport Minister Konstantinos Kyranakis on Friday who rejected a Hellenic Train proposal and called for retaining two drivers on trains.

Kyranakis had said, "Not only are we not abolishing one of the two drivers, but are actually adding a train supervisor and cameras in the driver's cabin."

As PEPE said, "Our union welcomes Mr. Kyranakis' public stance, which rejects the proposal by Hellenic Train, as this was tabled at the Transport Ministry, for the removal of the second driver from trains."

The union criticized the alternate transport minister for insinuating that cameras would reveal what might be transported in the drivers' cabins or whether a second driver is actually present. "It is well known and admitted by all that the crime at Tempi would have been avoided, had the security systems at the Hellenic Railways worked properly - the signalling system, the telemanagement system, and ETCS," it said, referring to the fatal train collision. It then called on the ministry to "act immediately to conclude these projects, instead of resorting to PR statemetns about GPS systems that will 'locate trains' and serve as a so-called safety catch."

See also:

No plans to abolish one of the two drivers on trains, Kyranakis clarifies