RMT Warned Of Overcrowding Risk Days Before Woman Dragged Under Train

Union warnings of lethal overcrowding at "death trap" tube station were ignored by underground bosses.

Tube union RMT revealed today that it formally warned underground bosses of lethal overcrowding at Clapham South station in a specially convened safety meeting last week, warnings that were ignored. That most recent warning followed previous alerts flagged up by the union over the past year about death trap overcrowding ‎at stations along sections of the Northern Line.

Yesterday, in a terrifying incident on Clapham South's overcrowded platform a woman was dragged between the platform and the train in exactly the kind of scenario RMT safety reps have been warning of.
RMT is now demanding a top level meeting on serious overcrowding and staffing issues across London's transport network in the wake of Clapham South and serious incidents at Brixton and Oxford Circus last week and the continuing chaos at London Bridge.

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said:
"It is frankly disgraceful that tube bosses are ignoring overcrowding warnings from RMT safety reps while passengers themselves are all over social media supporting the unions concerns.

"The terrifying incident at Clapham South yesterday, added to major issues at Brixton and Oxford Circus last week and the chaos at London Bridge, show that transport bosses are taking serious risks with life and limb as they try to squeeze a quart into a pint pot while at the same time hacking back staffing levels.

"The only solution to overcrowding on both tube and mainline ‎is more capacity, proper planning and increases in staffing levels to deliver a safe environment.

"This critical situation cannot be allowed to continue until we have a fatality on our hands. Our members know where the death traps are and where the pressures are building up and we are demanding a top level safety summit to allow us to get our safety fears addressed and dealt with and that also means an immediate halt to the job cuts. "

> RMT National News

Friday, 17th May
RMT Seafarers at the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) will take strike action on Sunday despite efforts by the union to find a settlement.
Thursday, 16th May
Tube union, RMT is calling for an immediate convening of the London Underground Limited (LUL) Safety Forum following a passenger evacuation on Clapham Common tube last year.
Wednesday, 15th May
Rail union, RMT has successfully retained the guard and all the responsibilities of the role on every train along the Barrhead and East Kilbride route.
Saturday, 11th May
RMT has exposed rail companies and their cleaning contractors for failing to keep trains and stations clean, in a damning new report and survey.
Wednesday, 8th May
Rail and ferries union, RMT has called on SNP first minister John Swinney to solve outstanding issues around Scotrail and the future of CalMac.