Union claims TfL lying over unmanned Tube stations

The RMT has accused TfL of "total lies" as a leaked document revealed a number of London Underground stations could be left unstaffed following staff job cuts plans. RMT leader Bob Crow said: "The management claim that they have no plans for unstaffed stations as a result of the cuts is a total lie..... They have repeatedly told the public that they have no plans to run unstaffed stations and yet this communications report shows that that is exactly what they are planning for."

TfL admitted the document existed but denied lying and said stations would only be unmanned on "rare occasions".


Here's the offending part of the leaked document "There are a number of stations across the network which is (sic) left unstaffed from time to time. Where this is the case without LLPA ("long line PA" system) there is no audible means of providing service disruption information to customers on platforms. With the OSP (station staff job cuts programme) and future station staffing changes it may become more of an issue at more locations more frequently."

As you know members of the RMT and TSSA have staged three 24-hour strikes in the last two months over plans to cut ticket office jobs. The next Tube strike is planned for 28th and 29th November. This current document leak obviously isn't going to help talks to stop the strike.

Bob Crow said "With just over a week before the next phase of strike action on the tube by TSSA and RMT members the time has now come for London Underground/TfL to pull back from these cuts plans, which would have a disastrous impact on tube safety and services, and to start talking with the unions about a long-term, secure future for the Underground network."

TfL said "London Underground has staff at all stations and staff rostered for shifts covering all hours that a station operates. This will not change.

"On rare occasions, at small above-ground stations, when staff are not available for short periods due to sickness or other unplanned circumstances, a station maybe left unstaffed temporarily while another member of staff is found. This is preferable to closing the station and causing inconvenience to passengers."