Posted 11th February 2014 | 4 Comments
U-turn in sight over Underground ticket office closures
A 48-hour London Underground strike due to start at 21.00 this evening has been called off, after 'constructive talks' at the conciliation service ACAS.
The RMT and TSSA have already staged one walk-out this month in protest at London Underground's intention to close all the system's ticket offices by 2015.
However, after the latest talks, Transport for London said there was now a possibility of 'some ticket offices remaining open' after a detailed 'station by station' review has been carried out in consultation with the trade unions.
This review forms part of TfL's peace gesture which also includes two months of 'intensive talks, to examine LU’s proposals in detail'. In return, the unions would suspend further strikes.
London Underground managing director Mike Brown said: “We welcome the suspension of the RMT and TSSA strike action. We have always said that we want the unions to engage fully with us, to help shape our proposals for the future of the Tube. The hard work of both the LU and union negotiating teams and the progress we have made at ACAS over the last few days means we can do that without further unnecessary disruption to Londoners.”
RMT general secretary Bob Crow also welcomed the news, saying: “After two days of intensive and detailed discussions through the offices of ACAS we have now received proposals that halt the implementation of the job cuts set out in the HR1 document which gives us the opportunity to discuss all of the issues away from the pressure cooker.
“We now have a golden opportunity to look again in detail at all of the concerns we have raised about the impact of the cuts on our members and the services that they provide to Londoners. That is exactly what we have been calling for throughout this dispute.
“RMT is happy to discuss any issues with LU through the machinery of negotiation and we are glad that we have now got back to where we should have been right at the start of this process.
“It is unfortunate that we were forced and provoked into a dispute that we never wanted and we are now in a position to move on with the clear understanding that our action is suspended but if there is any further attempt to impose change from above the action will go back on.”
Reader Comments:
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jakthe lad, sutton
In answer to James Palma,why need ticket offices? just take a look at your nearest Supermarket self serve checkouts! mine is just a shambles and takes longer then the normal checkouts. and as for a 24 hour tube service A) how is the line to be maintained and B) the homeless,drug addicts and drunks muxt be rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of a warm place for the night.
No in with Crow on this one.
ik brunel, Walthamstow
We all need to accept the reality that more people are buying online/ at machines / using oyster cards than in the past.
But, decision to close ticket offices should be based on numbers of tourist vs commuter users in addition to total numbers of passengers. Unfamiliar passengers more likely to need advice on type of ticket required.
Smaller rail/tube stations which have space for shop/cafe should have combined retail/ticket selling as is common on the continent. Makes more sense to combine these functions than have no ticket office at all.
James Palma, London
Justa point of clarification Melvyn, the stations are not intended to be unmanned. It is/was intended for staff to be in key locations where people could find them, namely platforms, ticket halls, at the barriers.
This is much more customer facing and necessary.
But yes, your point about reviewing what stations have a high number of ticket sales at the windows is a good point, but there is also the counter argument that where there are ticket machines and a handy member fo staff, why do you need a ticket office?
Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex
Common sense would have been to rank all stations as by number of tickets sold thus agreeing stations justifying a full blown ticket office.
Alongside this stations with large throughputs of visitors etc would also retain ticket issuing facility allied to information centre.
People talk about unmanned DLR stations but most of these were newly built to a much simpler design to underground stations which are often old Victorian structures many of which were part of main rail network and are simply to suited to unmanned operation!
Common sense would see old stations demolished and replaced by DLR style modern stations with full step and even stair free access but no doubt some would complain about thus destruction of heritage but I doubt if they would pay extra council tax to fund these costlier stations !
Ah well no reason for Boris not meeting Bob Crow now !