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, 1st August
RMT members working on Orkney’s lifeline ferry services have voted in favour of industrial action short of strike, following the rejection of a pay offer from their employer.
Saturday, 26th July
Rail union, RMT demanded urgent intervention from Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) today, following a serious escalation in violent and anti-social behaviour across Southern and Gatwick Express services.
Thursday, 24th July
Transport union, RMT has warned the Labour government that any attempt to drastically raise the state pension age beyond 68 would be met with strong resistance, including coordinated protests and direct action from across the trade union movement.
Thursday, 24th July
RMT has today backed the call from the London Assembly Transport Committee for Transport for London (TfL) to publish the review which led to the removal of blue light status from Emergency Response Unit (ERU) vehicles, and is calling for the reinstatement of this vital emergency capability.
Friday, 18th July
London to Essex train company c2c will come into public hands on Sunday but outsourced cleaners, will remain with a private contractor, RMT has said.