COST-CUTTING plans by Network Rail will lead to the loss of up to 1,000 jobs on rail renewal work, unions have claimed.

Union leaders said planned cuts were “terrifying”, warning that crucial track replacement work will be cancelled, impacting on safety.

Network Rail said it had no plans to cut any safety-critical jobs or any safety-critical work, describing any such suggestion as “ridiculous scaremongering”.

A spokesman said: “The rail network has faced a number of cost pressures and changing priorities, and like all businesses we have to live within our means. This sometimes means making hard choices.

“We are making savings in non-essential areas to ensure we’re delivering value to the taxpayer, while at the same time continuing to deliver a safe, reliable and expanding railway.

“The safe running of the rail network will never be compromised.”

But the Rail, Maritime and Transport union said the railway infrastructure was already operating on a “knife-edge”.

General secretary Mick Cash said: “These planned cuts are a scandal and would impact on services and safety at a time when our railways are already running right at the limit of safety tolerances.

“Track that is past its safe operational sell-by date would not be replaced within safe time limits, running the risk of repeated failures and possible derailments. That is the Government, through the ORR [the rail regulator], playing fast and loose with rail safety.

“RMT wants an urgent meeting with Network Rail on this issue and the union will use our political, industrial and campaigning tools to halt these cuts.”

Manuel Cortes, leader of the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association, said: “It is hugely disappointing for everyone engaged in efforts to build a better connected Britain that once again the short-sighted Tories are breaking spending promises and slashing and burning vital infrastructure projects and attacking a great workforce.

“It is terrifying that they are doing this with rail safety. Network Rail was created so rail safety standards could be rigorously maintained. These cuts must be resisted.”

Unions say they have been sent details of spending plans for the next two years, including reducing renewals, especially those that do not bring an “immediate safety or performance benefit”.