Shocking moment schoolgirl dices with death by crossing tracks at Latimer Road Tube station.
This is the dramatic moment a child in her school uniform risks her life by skipping across Tube tracks.
Shocked commuters look on as the girl narrowly misses the power rail carrying 630 volts and seem oblivious to the danger of any oncoming trains.
Clutching a mobile in her right hand and carrying her coat across the left arm, the schoolgirl made the dash between platforms at Latimer Road station yesterday.
One passenger captured the moment on his own mobile and alerted London Underground (LU) about what was happening and to stop approaching trains.
Mick Cash, leader of the RMT union which released the picture, said it graphically illustrated the problems being caused by a chronic shortage of staff.
He said: “This is exactly what happened at Latimer Road where it took a passenger with a mobile phone to let London Underground know that a schoolchild has been wandering across electrified track while trains run.”
RMT members are currently refusing to work overtime as part of industrial action that it claims exposes the shortage of staff on the tube.
It came as a leaked memo revealed that Tube bosses are offering clerks, PAs, secretaries and other workers up to £250 a shift to help staff stations.
The memo, seen by the Evening Standard, from Steve Griffiths, the Tube’s chief operating officer, states the offer is being made due to “exceptional circumstances.”
Mr Griffiths writes: “To help minimise disruption to our customers we need both licensed and non-licensed TfL (Transport for London) Ambassadors to volunteer at affected stations.
“As a special thank you for helping out during these exceptional circumstances we’d like to reward you for full shifts covered in the next few weeks.”
For a night or weekend shift the rate is £250, a late shift £200 and an early turn £160.
Talks continue at Acas to try and settle the TSSA overtime ban.
Unions claimed responsibility for the repeated Tube chaos last week – including 17 stations closed during the Wednesday night rush hour – and warned of worse to come.
Last week the Mayor Sadiq Kahn dismayed the unions when he ruled against re-opening any ticket offices.
Tube chiefs said they had immediately begun an investigation into circumstances surrounding the terrifying event.
They have identified the girl’s school and already contacted authorities there to alert them about what happened.
London Underground safety officers will now be visiting the school to advise pupils of the dangers of the railway and how to behave.
Tube bosses have also been in discussions with the British Transport Police.
They denied union claims that the station was unstaffed at the time though confirmed there was no staff member on the platforms.
A spokesman said: “The station was not unstaffed. There was a member of staff on the gateline. That is usual practice at Latimer Road which is a one staff member station and has been for some time.”
via ES
