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News Desk
Boris Johnson the Mayor of London has promised to have driverless tube trains within the next ten years. The current Mayor of London who is up for re-election in May said he would never again buy tube trains with drivers if he is re-elected. Mayor Johnson gave a vision of what a second term at City Hall would constitute, driverless trains on the London underground, was one proposal which has already been criticised by the tube union's RMT and Aslef.
The move towards driverless trains controlled by “train captains”, would materialise according to Mayor Johnson, within the next decade. The Mayor of London believed that the introduction of driverless tube trains will reduce the ticket price for passengers.
Mayor Johnson’s transport manifesto states: “It is time to move forward with 'train captains' - along the lines of the DLR (Docklands Light Railway) - with all the efficiency benefits it will bring and absolutely no loss of safety. TfL (Transport for London) will rapidly establish a timetable for introducing the first driverless trains to become operational on the London Underground network within a decade”.
“It may be that some hardline union barons will object, as they have traditionally objected to many technological improvements. But I am convinced that most members of London Underground’s workforce will see the merit of what we are doing”, he said in a speech on his campaign.
The RMT has described driverless trains as “lethal and unworkable”. The UK’s largest drivers’ union, Aslef, points out in the same direction, saying that they would make any effort to avoid the underground network to manage without drivers.
Boris Johnson has also promised to change the strike laws in order to avoid the technological improvements “can no longer be triggered by a small minority of union members”. 23 underground strikes have been carried out in the previous four years, with drivers demanding higher salaries and better conditions.
The Liberal Democrats, The Green party and the Labour candidates said that Boris Johnson focused on “vanity projects” without taking the fare costs into account. Jenny Jones, the Green Party's mayoral candidate, said showed his concern about safety of the driverless tube trains.
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