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Following the 7 and 21 July attacks, the RMT tube drivers’ union revived its demands for improved security provision on the tube network. As TI went to press, leaders of the union reported they had made progress on key issues in a meeting with London mayor Ken Livingstone. The following is taken from a statement made by RMT general secretary Bob Crow:

I reported to the union’s executive that the mayor had made a commitment that overall staffing levels on London Underground would not be reduced, one of the most serious disagreements that had existed with LUL management in recent months.

Following a discussion on the government’s intention to weaken the sub-surface station fire regulations brought in after the 1987 Kings Cross fire, the mayor also pledged that LUL management would not as a result reduce staffing levels or otherwise reduce fire-safety provisions in any way.

The RMT will continue to campaign against any dilution of the 1989 regulations, and we hope to have further discussions with the mayor to persuade him to support that campaign.

The mayor has further agreed that any train without a radio in working order will not be taken out and that there will be a review of procedures to identify suspect packages.

There will also be further detailed discussions on other matters, including the introduction of breathing apparatus for key front-line staff, as well as the possibility of strengthening drivers’ cabs, if that can be done in a way that would not be to the detriment of passengers’ safety.

The RMT executive has agreed that sufficient progress has now been made on these issues for us not to proceed with a ballot of our members.

However, we have also informed LUL, Metronet and Tubelines that every RMT member has the right to refuse any duty that would place him or her at an unacceptable level of risk, and the RMT executive has today authorised a ballot of our entire tube membership in the event of disciplinary action being taken against any individual under such circumstances.

There remains disagreement on the issue of tube guards, where the mayor has said that he would prefer to see armed police on trains.

Our view is that armed police are a separate issue to that of operational safety, and that safety trained guards have a crucial professional role to play in the event of further serious incidents.

We will therefore also continue to campaign for a guard on every train as well as a conductor on every bus.