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TfL Board To Discuss Driverless Trains, Ticket Office Closure & Reduced Maintenance In Job Cut Board Meeting

The TfL board will discuss the 'Operational Vision' tomorrow November 2nd 2011, which predicts trains without drivers and the closure of all ticket offices by 2016.

LUL's Managing Director Mike Brown's presentation to the Board is attached.

Brown says "Given the technology available now, it is very unlikely that, after the procurement of the trains for the Sub Surface Lines, LU will ever again buy a fleet of passenger trains with conventional drivers’ cabs."

The document also makes note of stations saying that ticket office need will decrease and staff will need to become more 'flexible.'

With regards to Service Control there is "work underway to look at the possibility of co-locating LU’s Network Operations Centre with the Surface Control Centre" the document states, and that the Service Control across the Sub surface Railway would be merged.

Track safety inspections and train maintenance will also be reduced - something the RMT is currently fighting with plans to cut the trip cock testing on Metropolitan line trains to around every 60 days rather than daily as is the current practice.

When the LUL 'Operational Vision' document was leaked by the RMT; General Secretary Bob Crow said “This document tells us everything we need to know about the operational strategy of London Underground - massive increase in fares alongside an unprecedented attack on jobs and safety. Every single ticket office would be closed, stations left unstaffed and drivers would be thrown out of their cabs without a single thought for passenger safety."

The Guardian has written an article on the story saying "London Underground described it as a discussion paper, prepared "purely to stimulate fresh thinking within London Underground", which had not been adopted by senior management, the Transport for London board or the mayor, Boris Johnson, and so did not represent agreed proposals for change."

It is clear now that the TfL board will be discussing the Operational Vision in a move which could see LUL attempt to make a tube without staff a reality.