London Assembly member backs calls to make Tube trains driverless (From Times Series)

Brian Coleman, Assembly member for Barnet and Camden, backs calls for driverless Tube trains

9:00am Monday 21st June 2010 in News By Kevin Bradford

Assembly member backs calls to make Tube trains driverless

PROPOSALS for driverless Tube trains have been backed by the London Assembly member for Barnet and Camden.

Brian Coleman supports plans to cut drivers from the Underground system, a move proposed in the a memorandum handed to the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, by the Conservative Group.

The six-page document, which was also send to the new Secretary of State for Transport, Philip Hammond, argues London needs a Tube network with “higher capacity, greater speed, improved safety and increased efficiency” and claims a driverless system will achieve this.

It describes the London Underground as “third rate” and highlighted other cities such as Paris and Sao Paolo which are implementing the driverless train technology.

The memorandum said not pushing ahead with driveless trains would “retard the development of the Underground”.

The proposal has attracted criticism from unions which are angered by the prospect of job losses and concerned about passenger safety.

But Mr Coleman, who is also Barnet councillor, has called on Mr Johnson to “be bold” and make the Northern Line driverless.

He said: “The upgrade work taking place on the Northern Line will make it a driverless system. All the person at the front of the train will be doing is opening the doors.

“It would result in a faster, more efficient service for my constituents. It would also break the stranglehold of the RMT union to make my constituents' lives a misery.”