Local Tube Stations Face Some of Largest Staff Cuts

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Almost half the frontline staff would be axed at Turnham Green

Local tube stations, including Turnham Green, could lose half or more of their frontline staff, according to TfL staffing plans revealed by Labour Assembly Members

The figures, analysed by Londonwide Assembly member Murad Qureshi show that Turnham Green faces losing 42% of its staff (or 4.6 full time equivalent staff), one of the highest losses across the network.

Chiswick Park and Stamford Brook would lose nearly a quarter of the current staffing level of 6 posts, with a 23% cutback, (loss of 1.4 equivalent staff), while Ravenscourt Park would see no cuts at all, but would see a 17% increase (the equivalent of almost one full-time job).

The figures released show the losses as following;

• Turnham Green – 42% (or 4.6 full time equivalent staff)
• Hounslow East – 35% (or 2.5 full time equivalent staff)
• Gunnersbury – 34% (or 2.4 full time equivalent staff)
• Osterley – 31% (or2.1 full time equivalent staff)
• Stamford Brook – 23% (or 1.4 full time equivalent staff)
• Hounslow Central – 21% (or 1.5 full time equivalent staff)

The figures obtained by Mr Qureshi suggest that where 588 frontline staff are set to be cut from across London Underground stations, somme stations would lose up to 58% of staff.

The figures, analysed London wide Assembly Member Murad Qureshi, show that Barons Court station faces the biggest staff cut, losing 58%, or the equivalent of 6.5 full time staff members, followed by Parsons Green losing 55%, or 5.7 full time equivalent staff and Hammersmith's Hammersmith and City Line Station, losing 50% or 6 ful time equivalent staff.

These cuts are part of an overall plan which could see 588 frontline staff losing threir jobs at 216 underground stations across London from next January.

Other local stations facing major cuts are:

• Wood Lane – 37% (or 2.6 full time equivalent staff)

• Putney Bridge – 36% (or 3.1 full time equivalent staff)

• Fulham Broadway – 32% (or 5.8 full time equivalent staff)

• East Acton – 27% (or 1.7 full time equivalent staff)

• West Kensington - 25% (or 1.9 full time equivalent staff)

• Shepherd's Bush – 21% (or 5 full time equivalent staff)

• Hammersmith (District and Piccadilly Lines) – 20% (or 7 full time equivalent staff)

• Shepherd's Bush – 15% (or 0.8 full time equivalent staff)

• White City – 15% (or 1.5 full time equivalent staff)

The staff cuts will come as part of the planned closure of all the capital’s tube station ticket offices, despite the Mayor previously pledging to protect all ticket offices from cuts. The staff cuts vary across the tube station network with some stations losing over half their staff.

Murad Qureshi AM says: " It beggars belief that, with tube fares due to rise by 2.5% in January, Boris Johnson has the nerve to cut front line staffing levels at stations by an average of 16% across London. In Hammersmith & Fulham we will lose 58% of staff from Barons Court for example, leaving passengers being forced to pay more money for less staff support.

" Politicians are often in the business of demanding more for less. It seems in this case Boris Johnson is happy with tube passengers getting less for more.

" The issue isn’t necessarily whether staff are based in ticket offices or on the station concourse, but whether staffing levels can provide all customers – especially the disabled and elderly – with a good service. I am calling on TfL to address this issue and to await the outcome of TravelWatch’s consultation survey before finalising plans. It is deplorable that TfL is not carrying out its own station by station consultation, so it is even more important that they take TravelWatch’s findings into account."

London TravelWatch’s consultation on London Underground ticket office closures can be accessed here.

Proposed staffing changes to all stations across the Underground network can be viewed online here, and a ranked version of the full data, sorted by level of cuts, can be found here.  

September 19, 2014