CLOSURE OF TUBE TICKET OFFICES WILL IMPACT PASSENGER SAFETY

Geoff Pope hit out this week at Mayor Livingstone's plan to close ticket offices at 40 Tube stations, 38 of them in outer London.
Geoff said: "Mayor Livingstone’s latest move to rescue Tube finances is to axe ticket offices at 40 tube stations. He has spun this as taking staff out of ticket offices and making them a visible presence on station platforms – an excuse to redeploy 240 staff. The reality is that at present, when ticket offices are closed, your chances of finding a staff member are next to zero. If London Underground’s management can’t make it work now, why should we believe they’ll suddenly mend their ways? All three rail unions have come out against the changes, claiming passenger safety will be put at risk. Passengers need to feel safer on stations. If the Mayor needs to cut costs, he could make a start on London Underground's middle management."
Geoff Pope also organised an event at the House of Commons this week to demand an early government announcement that they will fund Network Rail's Thameslink programme which would hugely increase north-south suburban rail provision for commuters. Geoff said "Unless the decision is made this summer, work may not be able to start until after the 2012 Olympics."