Poll Shows Staff Cuts Cause Fear of Travel in London

RMT COMMENT ON POLL SHOWING FEAR OF VIOLENCE ON LONDON TRANSPORT

Today, the End Violence Against Women coalition has published the results of a YouGov survey showing that 28% of women and 15% of men do not feel safe travelling on London transport at all times of the day and night.

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said “It is shocking and deplorable that so many of London’s passengers do not feel safe, and it is clear from this survey that lack of staff is the key reason. RMT calls on Transport for London and London Underground to commit to making no further staff cuts, and to reverse the cuts it has already made.”

Women survey respondents identified staffing as the main area in which they wanted to see action. Janine Booth, who represents London Transport workers on RMT’s national executive, said, “TfL’s policy of stripping staffing levels to the bare minimum has left many women, and some men, afraid to travel. We have millions of jobless people looking for work, and important work that needs to be done making our transport safe and accessible. TfL and London Underground should create jobs and increase staffing.”

RMT is campaigning against violence, opposing cuts to women’s refuges, and will be asking all transport employers to implement a policy to support victims of domestic violence.

Full details of the survey are available from End Violence Against Women, ‬here.

Ends

Geoff Martin
07831 465 103

> RMT National News

Saturday, 22nd August
RMT members working at East Midlands Railway (EMR) will take further 48-hour strike action starting from Sunday August 30 over ongoing safety concerns and major train faults.
Friday, 21st August
Seafarers’ union RMT has secured another pay win for seafarers at Stena Line which represent uplifts of up to nearly 25 per cent in addition to the annual pay increase for 2026.
Thursday, 20th August
RAIL union RMT has called on the government to instruct Northern Trains to cease trials that reduce gate line operations.
Thursday, 20th August
Seafarers union RMT today marked a significant victory for seafarers' pensions after P&O Ferries paid over £90 million it owed to the Merchant Navy Ratings Pension Fund (MNRPF).
Friday, 14th August
English Heritage has installed a blue plaque at the former Notting Hill home of Asquith Xavier (1920–1980), the railway worker whose determination to challenge racial discrimination helped bring an end to an unofficial ‘colour bar’ at London’s Euston Station.