Assaults to Tube staff have jumped 44% in five years, prompting fears that further employee cuts could leave many at greater risk.
Figures from Transport for London (TfL) have revealed the number of attacks on customer-facing workers on the Underground rose from 1,917 in 2009/10 to 2,753 in 2013/14.
This rise came despite the number of frontline employees falling by almost 8,000 over the same period.
The data – which accounts for both verbal and physical assaults – was uncovered by Labour, who today warned plans by London mayor Boris Johnson’s to potentially further reducing staff numbers could leave employees ‘dangerously isolated’.
Around 900 job losses have been predicted as a result of the Underground's modernisation programme including ticket office closures, however TfL have maintained there will be no involuntary redundancies.
With alcohol a factor behind many of the assaults, concerns were raised that staffing proposals for the all night Tube service could leave some employees in dangerous situations. Later running of services is due to commence in September, with Labour fearing certain stations could be staffed by only a single employee.
Val Shawcross, Labour’s London Assembly transport spokesperson, called for ‘immediate action’ from Johnson to ensure station staff cuts would not leave staff more vulnerable in the future.
‘Axing almost 900 staff from the tube stations and spreading the remainder out across the ticket halls and platforms risks leaving tube station staff feeling dangerously isolated,’ she said. ‘What nobody wants to see is staff left feeling unsafe on quiet platforms and in empty ticket halls.’
‘While the introduction of the night tube will be great for many passengers there are serious worries about TfL’s approach to staffing. With alcohol a proven factor in a significant number of assaults, we have to ask how safe employees will feel being the sole member of staff in a station at 3am and dealing with crowds of passengers coming back from a night on the town.’
London Underground said the rise in staff assaults partly reflected work to encourage staff to report such incidents.
Crime on the Tube has fallen by 14% in the last year, while the number of physical assaults on employees has also fallen. It is hoped that work being undertaken with the Police will further reduce the numbers of attacks.
Nick Brown, London Underground’s chief operating officer, said: ‘Our staff and passengers have the right to work and travel without fear of threat or violence and we work with the police to ensure this.
‘When we introduce the Night Tube, all stations will remain staffed and controlled at all times when services are running and our hundreds of staff will be backed by a Police presence.
‘There are around 700 uniformed British Transport Police personnel on the Tube and DLR, part of the 2,500 strong group of officers who work across the TfL transport network keeping customers safe. The Underground network is also covered by our extensive network of 12,000 CCTV cameras.’
