Cash black hole’ could spell transport chaos, say unions

PUBLIC transport services in London are “staring down a black hole” of a �6 billion gap in cash which threatens modernisation of services in time for the 2012 Olympics, trade union bosses are warning. Thousands of jobs are under threat as well as services because of the crisis, according to the RMT transport workers’ union

By Mike Brooke

PUBLIC transport services in London are “staring down a black hole” of a �6 billion gap in cash which threatens modernisation of services in time for the 2012 Olympics, trade union bosses are warning.

Thousands of jobs are under threat as well as services because of the crisis, according to the RMT transport workers’ union.

The warning shot’ comes after a London Assembly report reveals a �1.7bn gap caused by the recession which it predicts will open up by 2018.

This comes on top of City Hall’s existing �2.5bn cuts and the �2bn row between Transport for London and the Tube Lines consortium.

SAVAGE CUTS

“This black hole’ puts the future of London’s public transport on the line in the run up to the Olympics,” said RMT general secretary Bob Crow.

“We’ve warned repeatedly that the threat to jobs is part of a wider package of savage cuts, which can all be traced back to the failure of privatisation.

“The modernisation of the London Underground is under serious threat before 2012.”

The union is calling for Tube Lines to be brought back under public control and to “draw a line under the privatisation disaster.”

It is demanding Government cash to protect services to avoid London being “gripped by transport chaos.”