LONDON UNDERGROUND plans to cut safety inspections by 97% of the emergency equipment that stops trains hurtling through red lights.


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Known as a ‘tripcock’, the mechanism is seen as vital to the prevention of calamitous accidents. Currently, tripcocks are checked at least once every two days, but for new trains, LU could limit checks to once every two months.

“The tripcock is an essential safety mechanism,” said Rail, Maritime and Transport union leader Bob Crow.

“This is a cuts-led move that follows hacking back of safety inspections on escalators and out on the tracks.

“It comes at a time when maintenance cuts are already causing havoc on a daily basis with signal failures and breakdowns commonplace. This move on the tripcocks inspections ratchets up the safety concerns of RMT.

“It is literally dicing with death.”

LU argues that the new trains bound for the District, Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines are kitted out with technology that means checks can be made via a remote computer.

“The technology on board these new trains allows us to download information that will tell us well in advance if any part of the train needs attention,” said Phil Hufton, LU Chief Maintenance Officer.

The latest safety row comes soon after the RMT said it plans to hold a vote over other safety and maintenance issues that the union believes are behind some of the huge number of delays experienced recently. Last week, there were 33 separate major delays.

“We have tried to get London Underground Limited to see sense, but they have continued to put cash and job cuts ahead of passenger safety,” said Crow.