Edgware Road issues throws spotlight on looming chaos

TUBE UNION RMT today warned Londoners that the two days of major disruption arising from engineering issues at Edgware Road are a reminder of the serious challenges that face the aging and Victorian-designed infrastructure – challenges that are set to be deepened by the planned night running service due to be introduced later this year.

RMT has pointed out that even where lines aren't running all night LUL have no intention to segregate them acceptably from those that are, raising serious access issues such as dragging a 200lb piece of equipment ‎down stairs shared with passengers and opening up potential security issues as the public, after a night on the town,  have the opportunity to follow staff into what should be secure areas.  

The union has also pointed out that night running means more train miles placing more stress on equipment and the tubes aging infrastructure. A failure such as the one that has impacted on Edgware Road over the past two days could not be left until the night time shutdown and would mean suspension of services to repair equipment as valuable overnight engineering time is lost.

On the fleet and track key pieces of equipment need safety-critical checks every 72 hours and all night running makes that a huge logistical challenge. Ultrasonics testing (B Scan) has to be scheduled to allow for time afterwards to follow up and repair any faults that are identified. That work would end up compressed into impossible time frames.

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said:

“The engineering issues that have arisen at Edgware Road over the past two days are a massive reminder of just how challenging the environment is for the teams out there day and night keeping London moving.

“Those challenges will be ratcheted up by the plans for night running, plans that the politicians say they now want to extend across the system and onto London Overground. RMT has said all along that we have no objection in principle to extended hours provided it isn’t being done as some half-baked personal publicity stunt, provided the engineering and service delivery issues are thoroughly addressed and provided the staffing and reward issues are properly dealt with.

“At the moment the plans fall on all three of those benchmarks and the talks with the unions have reached a critical point with the proposals coming from the management side leaving us miles apart.

“As it stands, night tube operation is a half-baked pompous, vanity project being rushed through by the Mayor to fuel his political ambitions to become Prime Minister. Londoners and tube staff are just pawns in this political game and RMT will not stand by while the viability and safety of the tube network is compromised in this cavalier fashion.”