Tube users 'told to check doors'

TfL wants to minimise delays caused by trains being stuck in tunnels

A union has criticised a "highly dangerous" instruction which requires Tube train drivers to ask passengers to push carriage doors closed in tunnels.

The Rail Maritime and Transport union said the directive will make drivers move trains through tunnels even if they are not certain doors are closed.

Currently drivers have to walk down the train to make sure doors are closed.

Transport for London (TfL) said it is a safety measure to stop trains and passengers becoming stuck in tunnels.

Drivers have a indicator called a pilot light which remains lit if the doors are securely closed.

This is an astonishing instruction which shows that LU is prepared to risk serious injury and even lives to prevent service delays

RMT general secretary Bob Crow

If the pilot light goes out the driver has to visually check all the carriage doors.

But according to the Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, the new instruction tells drivers to use the intercom to ask passengers to close any open doors themselves and to move the train without the visual check.

The RMT wants the "astonishing and potentially highly dangerous" instruction rescinded and is calling for urgent talks with London Underground (LU).

"This is an astonishing instruction which shows that LU is prepared to risk serious injury and even lives to prevent service delays," RMT general secretary Bob Crow said.

A spokeswoman for TfL said: "This is about ensuring that trains and passengers are not stuck in tunnels, on the rare occasions when an issue with the doors arise and only once a train has left the station.

"Rather than try to resolve it by walking through a fully loaded rush hour train, which can mean passengers stuck in a tunnel for a long time and is a safety issue in itself, we propose our drivers could move the train to the next platform.

"The train would only be moved once all other options, including the passenger alarm, have been tried, and then only at slow speed."