Safety of South Western Members Accessing and Exiting Waterloo Station

Our Ref: HSR/1/3
Head Office Circular: NP/230/21
1st July 2021
To: The Secretary
ALL BRANCHES
REGIONAL COUNCILS

Dear Colleague,

SAFETY OF SOUTHWESTERN RAILWAY MEMBERS ACCESSING/EXITING WATERLOO STATION

Your National Executive Committee (NEC) met on 29th June 2021 to discuss a resolution received from RMT Waterloo Branch, which reads as follows:

The Waterloo Branch has serious safety concerns for our SWR staff who require access to Waterloo in the early hours of the morning to start their shift, this is predominantly a concern for our train crew staff not just for Waterloo Depot but for surrounding Train Crew Depots who may be required to cover turns at Waterloo.

At Waterloo there is only one access out of seven that is open before the station opens at 04-30am (this being exit 3). A good majority of our members use exit 2 which is an exit that is on the main road is well lit and is the main route for buses/cars that transport our members in to work, this exit is never open until later which means our members have to walk within dark areas to exit 3 to gain access to the station.

The Branch understands that they only have one exit available because they are required to have exits that are used during the night and early morning when the station is closed are required to be covered by a member of staff because of security reasons.

We therefore call on the National Executive Committee to instruct the General Secretary to carry out the following:

• To explore the possibility to produce an RMT lone working policy or update and recirculate any existing policy for our members, to include guidance for our members on how to be safe when travelling to and from work locations.

• To write to Network Rail to request that they explore the possibility of opening up exit 2 earlier to enable our SWR members to access the station and not having to walk to exit three in dark areas and mostly alone.

• All Branches and Regional Councils to be updated.

In relation to the above resolution, the NEC decision is as follows:

That we note the resolution from our Waterloo Branch.

Accordingly, we instruct the General Secretary to obtain a report from the Regional Organiser and place before us.

Waterloo Branch to be advised.

I am acting in accordance with these instructions.

Please bring the contents of this circular to the attention of relevant members.

Yours sincerely

Michael Lynch
General Secretary