Return of third class: Rail companies draw up controversial plans to reintroduce another tier of service on trains (so how bad will that be?)



The first time plans have been considered since they were ditched in 1956

Lord Attlee is the grandson of Clement Atlee who nationalised the railways

Unions accuse Government of 'winding back the clock'

Rail companies are drawing up controversial plans for officially sanctioned 'third class' travel, a senior Government figure has admitted.



Earl Attlee admitted the Department of Transport was considering the proposal, which was ditched in Britain by the former nationalised British Rail in June 1956.



It has sparked a new class-war row in the wake of Chancellor George Osborne's recent spat after he sought a place in First Class after buying only a standard class ticket.



The third way: A 1930s' third class coach on an electric train in Ireland

Can it get much worse? Many commuters are already left with standing room only on their journeys

Unions said the Government was 'winding back the clock' fifty years.



Earl Attlee, who speaks on behalf of the Government in the House of Lords, was responding to a question on whether invitations to bid for new rail franchises permitted the introduction of a third passenger class.

A Tory peer, the Earl is the grandson of Labour post-war Prime Minister Clement Attlee, elected in 1945, whose government nationalised the railways.



The question and answer are recorded in Hansard, the official record of the Houses of Parliament under the heading: 'Railways: Third Class Travel'.



Former Labour Minister Lord Myners asked the Government 'whether invitations to bid for new rail franchises permit the introduction of a third passenger class.'

Earl Attlee replied that it did, noting: 'The current franchising system allows bidders to propose the introduction of a third passenger class as long as these proposals comply with the ticketing and settlement agreement and franchise agreement.'

Open-topped: It was only in 1844 that the law was passed to ensure third-class carriages were covered. This drawing appeared in a newspaper in 1847

Squeeze: Little has changed in more than 160 years when it comes to second-class travel Luxury travel: First class was, as ever, the domain of the well-to-do

CLASSES APART

Third class travel first became an option in 1838. Six years later an act of parliament forced train companies to provide a roof in third class.

The 1844 Railway Act stipulated that all third-class passengers should be carried in covered accommodation. Railway companies also began providing lighting in third-class carriages. However, whereas there were several oil lamps in the first class carriages, third-class carriages only had one.

In 1844 the railways introduced Parly & Gov class for government workers.

The Pullman car, introduced in Britain in 1874, created a new level of comfort.



Midland Railway abolished second class travel in 1875, upgrading third class passengers to second class standards. Other railways followed the example.

Second class disappeared from fare tables until 1956, when third class was renamed second. British Rail later renamed this standard class.

But the Department for Transport insisted the answer had been deliberately 'misinterpreted' by union critics, insisting the Earl had meant a third and additional class of travel between the existing first and standard classes – broadly equivalent to a 'premium economy' class on airlines.

But critics said that if there were three classes – the bottom class would by definition be 'third class.'



Bob Crow, left wing leader of the RMT transport union said: 'Now we know, the door is open for the train operators to introduce third passenger class as and when it suits them.

'We knew that this Government was winding the clock back on employment, benefits and legal rights but now they are opening up the option to dive back in time more than 50 years to the days of third class rail travel.'



But Lord Myners said:'I was astonished by the response which suggested there could be a cattle class carriage at the back or one for toffs at the front'.



But a Department for Transport spokesman said: 'It is completely untrue and deliberately misleading to claim that this Government wants to introduce 'third class' fares.



'It absolutely does not. The minimum level of service is standard class and the Government is only interested in proposals from train operators that would improve, at the very least maintain, existing standards.'



The spokesman added: 'The Government's spokesman in the House of Lords, Lord Attlee, spoke of the possibility of 'a third passenger class' like premium economy on flights or business leisure class on Eurostar, not reducing current standards.



'The RMT is deliberately confusing the two to scare train passengers.'



It is understood that First Group was considering the introduction of a third class – between standard and first – in its scuppered bid for the West Coast Main Line.



Back to the future: A third class dining car on the Midland Railway in 1898





