Night Tube Service Close to Collapse Say Union

---

Claim Piccadilly line could be operating at 70% below capacity until Christmas

The RMT is claiming that the night tube service on the Piccadilly line is in crisis with only a third of the trains currently operational and passengers having to wait up to an hour.

The tube union say the problem is due to a lack of trained train operators available to run the service. They say that they have been informed that one weekend this month there were only seven trains running on the line instead of the scheduled 22. The RMT understands that the problems could continue until Christmas.

The union says the situation is raising safety concerns for their members who have to deal with angry and sometimes intoxicated passengers who have experienced extended delays.

They claim that the lack of drivers is not down to sickness or industrial action but London Underground’s lack of planning in getting enough drivers trained in time and that the issue has been further exacerbated by management’s reluctance to fully take on board a number of concerns raised by the RMT.

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said, “Tube bosses need to send out a clear signal that they are addressing the driver shortage issues which have reduced the Night Tube on the Piccadilly Line to chaos.

“London Underground also need to urgently address the major safety and customer service issues arising from the Piccadilly Line Night Tube crisis that they have created.

“Instead of dismissing some of the key points raised by our safety reps , LUL needs to listen to the concerns of its workers and implement an urgent solution so that Night Tube trains and stations are staffed and run safely and customers get the service they were promised.”

We have asked TfL for a comment on the situation but have yet to receive a reply.

August 17, 2017