London Underground cuts include 144 office closures and loss of 1200 jobs

Tube Union RMT today released new information which exposes the full extent of the first wave of cuts under the Mayor’s £5 billion tube savings programme with more than half of London's tube station ticket offices and 1200 jobs under threat of the axe.

In the first phase of the "Operational Services Review” the union claims 'savage' reductions are being proposed across the tube network.

Of the 287 tube stations in the Capital, only main terminals will retain a full ticket office function, smaller central stations will have ticket offices open at peak times with the remaining 144 stations reduced to ticket machines only.

Station staff numbers will be reduced by up to 1200 with RMT warning that safety and security of the travelling public will be seriously compromised as LU drive towards unmanned operation of stations.

An interim report on the planned cuts is expected before Christmas with implementation by April 2010.

Bob Crow, RMT General Secretary, said “The job cuts planned for underground stations would leave passengers dangerously exposed in the event of an emergency and would ratchet up the dangers for the public, particularly women, travelling late at night. It is clear from these plans that LU bosses are pushing towards unmanned operation of stations regardless of the risks."

December 9, 2009