14 November 2019
RMT Press Office:
RAIL UNION RMT will be demonstrating outside City Hall next week over plans to decimate ticket offices and their opening hours across the Arriva Rail London operation with dire consequences for safety, service and accessibility.
The protest will take place at 9am on Wednesday 20th November outside City Hall, SE1 2AA, London.
RMT members will be demonstrating prior to the Mayor Chairing a TfL Board Meeting at City Hall at 10am.
The union has been campaigning against plans to axe Overground ticket offices for the past two years and although the initial plans were pushed back the union has now accused ARL and TFL of trying to smuggle through a closure programme by stealth.
RMT is also balloting its members on London Overground for industrial action over the proposed cuts.
The current plans would mean many stations would only be open 07:30 – 10:00 am, Monday to Friday.
The proposals equate to a cut in hours of over 65% across the Overground. Many stations are facing cuts in hours of over 80%.
If these cuts go ahead, and many ticket offices are closed for large parts of the day, RMT is concerned that:
• Stations will become less safe, secure and accessible.
• Passengers will not be able to access all ticket types and services at a machine.
• Many people, including some elderly and disabled passengers, would struggle to purchase tickets and get advice.
• It will be easier for London Overground to close more ticket offices and reduce staffing even further in the future.
RMT general secretary Mick Cash said:
“We are taking our protest to City Hall ahead of next Wednesday’s TfL meeting to make our voice heard over these outrageous proposals.
“Having failed to close the London Overground ticket offices completely due to a union and public campaign that convinced London Travel Watch to keep them open ARL/ TFL are now trying to achieve the same results by stealth.
“The consultative process has been exposed as a sham and our members are not prepared to sit idly by when safety and accessibility are once again sacrificed for profit.
“The Mayor must step up and demand these ticket offices remain open and that TFL is adequately funded to service all the people of London equally instead of employing measures that will discriminate against the disabled and vulnerable.”
Ends.
Notes to editors
RMT is asking people to send a campaign postcard to the Mayor asking him to use his powers to halt the closures.
A model letter to send to the Mayor can be found at http://bit.ly/2oSasjk
An online petition, opposing the cuts can be found at http://bit.ly/rmtpetition
The RMT campaign page can be found at: https://www.rmt.org.uk/campaigns/rail/save-london-overground-ticket-offices/
The full proposed cuts are:
| Station |
Current weekly hours |
Proposed hours |
% cut |
Station |
Current weekly hours |
Proposed hours |
% cut |
| Acton Central |
84.25 |
12.5 |
85 |
Hoxton |
15 |
12.50 |
17 |
| Anerley |
39.25 |
12.5 |
68 |
Imperial Wharf |
78.75 |
44.50 |
43 |
| Brondesbury |
84.25 |
0 |
CLOSING |
Kensal Rise |
42 |
15.00 |
64 |
| Brondesbury Park |
28.75 |
12.5 |
57 |
Kensington Olympia |
78.75 |
12.50 |
84 |
| Bruce Grove |
42 |
12.5 |
70 |
Kentish Town West |
35 |
12.50 |
64 |
| Bush Hill Park |
78.5 |
16.25 |
79 |
Kilburn High Road |
42 |
12.50 |
70 |
| Caledonian Rd & Barnsbury |
31.25 |
12.5 |
60 |
Penge West |
20 |
12.50 |
38 |
| Camden Road |
93.75 |
41 |
56 |
Rectory Road |
42 |
12.50 |
70 |
| Canonbury |
47.5 |
12.5 |
74 |
Rotherhithe |
15 |
12.50 |
17 |
| Carpenders Park |
88.25 |
20 |
77 |
Shadwell |
15 |
12.50 |
17 |
| Clapton |
89 |
12.5 |
86 |
Shepherd's Bush |
78.75 |
43.50 |
45 |
| Dalston Junction |
83.5 |
14.75 |
82 |
Shoreditch High Street |
38.5 |
24.50 |
36 |
| Dalston Kingsland |
89.25 |
67.75 |
24 |
Silver Street |
42 |
17.50 |
58 |
| Finchley Rd & Frognal |
42 |
12.5 |
70 |
South Acton |
16.25 |
12.50 |
23 |
| Gospel Oak |
88.75 |
12.5 |
86 |
South Hampstead |
15 |
12.50 |
17 |
| Hackney Central |
91.25 |
43.75 |
52 |
Southbury |
67 |
17.50 |
74 |
| Hackney Downs |
88 |
12.5 |
86 |
St James Street |
89 |
15.00 |
83 |
| Hackney Wick |
31.25 |
12.5 |
60 |
Stoke Newington |
42 |
12.50 |
70 |
| Haggerston |
15 |
12.5 |
17 |
Turkey Street |
40.5 |
20.75 |
49 |
| Hampstead Heath |
92.75 |
12.5 |
87 |
Wapping |
15 |
12.50 |
17 |
| Hatch End |
58.5 |
12.5 |
79 |
Watford High Street |
84.25 |
15.25 |
82 |
| Headstone Lane |
43.5 |
12.5 |
71 |
West Hampstead |
84.25 |
0.00 |
CLOSING |
| Homerton |
84.25 |
69.75 |
17 |
White Hart Lane |
64.5 |
0.00 |
CLOSING |
| Honor Oak Park |
90.75 |
18.25 |
80 |
Wood Street |
76.5 |
17.50 |
77 |
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