RMT calls for postponement of night tube on Piccadilly Line over safety concerns
RAIL UNION RMT today called for the postponement of the night tube on the Piccadilly Line – which is due to start on 16 December – due to on-going safety concerns.
The serious fleet problems involve trains that continue to suffer from “flatted wheels”, which means that they have to be taken out of service for the wheels to be checked and lathed back to safe tolerances .
RMT is calling for postponement until all the trains are fixed and safe.
Mick Cash, RMT General Secretary, said:
“LU fleet engineers have worked under impossible management pressure to keep services running on the Piccadilly Line.
“The fleet consists of 43 year old trains that have recently had their wheels replaced, leading to serious problems. RMT has been told the problem could take weeks to fix properly. The priority in the meantime should be to run a safe and reliable service in the daytime, when most people will be using the service.
“It is utter madness that while the service on the Piccadilly Line is at breaking point the company plan to run trains right through from 0500 Friday morning until 0030 Sunday.
“LUL should postpone night tube on the Piccadilly Line until all these engineering problems are fixed and the trains are signed off as safe.”