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date 19 November 2019
source RMT
type Press release

RAIL UNION RMT will be demonstrating outside City Hall tomorrow over plans to decimate ticket offices and their opening hours across the Arriva Rail London operation with dire consequences for safety, service and accessibility.

The protest will take place at 9am on Wednesday 20th November outside City Hall, SE1 2AA, London.

RMT members will be demonstrating prior to the Mayor Chairing a TfL Board Meeting at City Hall at 10am.

The union has been campaigning against plans to axe Overground ticket offices for the past two years and although the initial plans were pushed back the union has now accused ARL and TFL of trying to smuggle through a closure programme by stealth.

RMT is also balloting its members on London Overground for industrial action over the proposed cuts.

The current plans would mean many stations would only be open 07:30 – 10:00 am, Monday to Friday.

The proposals equate to a cut in hours of over 65% across the Overground. Many stations are facing cuts in hours of over 80%.

If these cuts go ahead, and many ticket offices are closed for large parts of the day, RMT is concerned that:

o Stations will become less safe, secure and accessible.
o Passengers will not be able to access all ticket types and services at a machine.
o Many people, including some elderly and disabled passengers, would struggle to purchase tickets and get advice.
o It will be easier for London Overground to close more ticket offices and reduce staffing even further in the future.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said:

“We are taking our protest to City Hall tomorrow ahead of the TfL meeting to make our voice heard over these outrageous proposals.

“Having failed to close the London Overground ticket offices completely due to a union and public campaign that convinced London Travel Watch to keep them open ARL/ TFL are now trying to achieve the same results by stealth.

“The consultative process has been exposed as a sham and our members are not prepared to sit idly by when safety and accessibility are once again sacrificed for profit.

“The Mayor must step up and demand these ticket offices remain open and that TFL is adequately funded to service all the people of London equally instead of employing measures that will discriminate against the disabled and vulnerable.”

Ends.

Geoff Martin
07831 465 103

Notes to editors

RMT is asking people to send a campaign postcard to the Mayor asking him to use his powers to halt the closures.

A model letter to send to the Mayor can be found at http://bit.ly/2oSasjk

An online petition, opposing the cuts can be found at http://bit.ly/rmtpetition

The RMT campaign page can be found at: https://www.rmt.org.uk/campaigns/rail/save-london-overground-ticket-offices/

The full proposed cuts are:

Station Current weekly hours Proposed hours % cut Station Current weekly hours Proposed hours % cut

Acton Central 84.25 12.5 85 Hoxton 15 12.50 17
Anerley 39.25 12.5 68 Imperial Wharf 78.75 44.50 43
Brondesbury 84.25 0 CLOSING Kensal Rise 42 15.00 64
Brondesbury Park 28.75 12.5 57 Kensington Olympia 78.75 12.50 84
Bruce Grove 42 12.5 70 Kentish Town West 35 12.50 64
Bush Hill Park 78.5 16.25 79 Kilburn High Road 42 12.50 70
Caledonian Rd & Barnsbury 31.25 12.5 60 Penge West 20 12.50 38
Camden Road 93.75 41 56 Rectory Road 42 12.50 70
Canonbury 47.5 12.5 74 Rotherhithe 15 12.50 17
Carpenders Park 88.25 20 77 Shadwell 15 12.50 17
Clapton 89 12.5 86 Shepherd's Bush 78.75 43.50 45
Dalston Junction 83.5 14.75 82 Shoreditch High Street 38.5 24.50 36
Dalston Kingsland 89.25 67.75 24 Silver Street 42 17.50 58
Finchley Rd & Frognal 42 12.5 70 South Acton 16.25 12.50 23
Gospel Oak 88.75 12.5 86 South Hampstead 15 12.50 17
Hackney Central 91.25 43.75 52 Southbury 67 17.50 74
Hackney Downs 88 12.5 86 St James Street 89 15.00 83
Hackney Wick 31.25 12.5 60 Stoke Newington 42 12.50 70
Haggerston 15 12.5 17 Turkey Street 40.5 20.75 49
Hampstead Heath 92.75 12.5 87 Wapping 15 12.50 17
Hatch End 58.5 12.5 79 Watford High Street 84.25 15.25 82
Headstone Lane 43.5 12.5 71 West Hampstead 84.25 0.00 CLOSING
Homerton 84.25 69.75 17 White Hart Lane 64.5 0.00 CLOSING
Honor Oak Park 90.75 18.25 80 Wood Street 76.5 17.50 77

Railhub Archive ::: 2019-11-19 RMT-002