Tube stations ‘a muggers’ paradise’
Published: 2 April 2010
by JAMIE WELHAM
ELDERLY people will be too scared to travel if the Mayor of London presses ahead with proposals to close Tube station ticket offices, Labour leaders have warned.
Under London Underground plans justified by the rise in Oyster card users on the Tube network, opening hours will be dramatically cut at stations across Westminster.
Tube staff are threatening to strike over the proposals that will affect Maida Vale, Warwick Avenue, St John’s Wood, Marylebone and other stations across Westminster.
During his election campaign in 2008, mayor Boris Johnson spoke out against reduced openings, at the time arguing that many people felt it was important to have a manned ticket office.
Defending the policy, London Underground say there has been an increase in Oyster outlets and users, with the card now paying for 80 per cent of journeys on the Tube, making a lot of offices redundant.
They want ticket offices to be manned for fewer hours, freeing up staff to patrol the stations.
But Karen Buck, Labour MP for Regent’s Park and Kensington North, said: “These radical cuts in opening hours risk undermining a lot of the gains made in recent years in reassuring members of the public travelling after dark in particular.”
This is echoed by her colleague in Westminster City Hall, Paul Dimoldenberg, who said the proposals meant the mayor’s election promises had been “worthless”. Transport union RMT also believes the cuts will pose a safety risk to passengers.
General secretary Bob Crow said: “Cuts will turn Tube stations into a muggers’ paradise. RMT has made it clear right from the outset that we will not sit idly by while the mayor and his transport officials drive down Tube staffing levels to dangerously low levels.”
In an open letter to staff and customers, Howard Collins, chief operating officer of London Underground, said stations would continue to be manned.
He said: “We are proposing to reduce ticket office opening hours because our customers are just not using them as much as they used to.
“We don’t need or want our staff to be stuck behind glass in under used offices.
“It’s true we are reducing the number of staff we have overall, but by putting our staff in the areas they are most needed, we can do this without affecting your journey or compromising your safety.”
Comments
Nick
Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 2010-04-02 12:17.Boris Johnson is a liar or an idot, or possibly both. When running for office he camapigned to keep ticket offices open, but now he wants to shut them. Either he lied to people about his true intentions, or he was too stupid to understand the financial relaities of Oyster vs paper ticket sales. We need a mayor who is informed and understands the issues properly. he isn't that person.
He campaigned on a platform of negotiating strike free deals with Tube unions, but has not actually spoken to them since becoming Mayor in May 2008. Clearly another lie he used to get elected.
He 'banned' drinking alcohol on public transport, yet we already had real laws that dealt with drunkeness - all that was needed was for them to be enforced. His headline grabbing 'bye laws' have changed nothing. people still drink on the Tube as they know his plastic prohibition has no basis in law - they won't be prosecuted.
the man can't or won't answer his critics when he's questioned on his U-turns and lies. He's the shame of London.
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