Victoria line incident could have been fatal, says union

TUBE UNION RMT has demanded an end to the “reckless” policy of expecting drivers to override a door failsafe system after a potentially fatal incident in which a passenger jumped from a moving train and another was caught in its open doors.

The incident, at Oxford Circus station, happened after the ‘sensitive edge’ door-safety system – which immobilises a train if anything is caught in its doors – was over-ridden on a Victoria Line train during the evening peak on July 11.

RMT has told LUL that it is in dispute with the company after it refused to suspend the practice, despite warnings that it was putting the demand to minimise delays ahead of passenger safety.

RMT General secretary Bob Crow said:

“This incident shows what happens when management puts pressure on people to override a device designed to keep passengers safe.

“It is our members who have to deal with the consequences, and w e have tried to get LUL to see sense, but if they continue to put cash ahead of passenger safety we will have no choice but to ballot for whatever action is necessary to put a stop to this reckless policy.”

RMT London regional organiser Steve Hedley said:

“Our members are adamant that they should not be asked to override the sensitive-edge system, and for good reason.

“We have been asking LUL to end this practice since it was introduced, but after this incident they know they are playing Russian roulette with passengers’ lives, on the Met and District lines as well as on the Victoria, and it has to stop.”