As part of the Operational Effectiveness programme LUL introduced a number of changes to Rules. These changes were discussed through the machinery until finally being exhausted at Safety Forum level. LUL chose to push through the majority of these changes.

These Rules were introduced as OSN101 in September 2011 in a booklet titled ‘Getting ready for the Olympics’. One of these is a change to Rulebook 8 Section 2.1 which determines how a platform is given an ‘A’ Category.

Previously, the Rulebook read ‘Category A platforms are those where a train operator is unable to see the entire platform train interface from the normal operating position without the use of a mirror or monitors’. ‘On trains with in-cab monitors, all platforms must be regarded as Category A’.

This has now been changed to ‘platforms where a Train Operator can normally see all operational doors by looking back from any part of the cab will be categorised as a B’. Platforms where a Train Operator is unable to see all the operational doors of the train from any part of the cab will be categorised as an A’.

This means that Train Operators are expected to self despatch from offside platforms that are straight leaving a ‘time lag’ between completing your platform duties and starting up your train.

Due to LUL’s refusal to withdraw this change the RMT balloted its Train Operator members who voted in favour of Industrial action short of strike action. RMT members should refuse to carry out this change and work to previous Rules.