It was a “nightmare” before Christmas at Hyde Park Corner tube station with “staggering levels of criminal and antisocial behaviour” from some people apparently returning from the Winter Wonderland event.
The Standard’s transport editor, Ross Lydall reports how one station staff member, who works at Hyde Park Corner station, described in detail to colleagues how dozens of people at a time barged through ticket barriers.
The memo continued there were threats to assault staff when asked to stop vaping in the station, after emerged details of the "unsafe" incident earlier this month.
Problems were worsened by delays of up to 15 minutes between Piccadilly line trains and the escalators repeatedly breaking, making it even harder to manage the vast crowds attending the annual event in Hyde Park.
It was a “pure miracle” that nobody was injured, Tube bosses were told, in a posting on Transport for London’s intranet.
Responding to the post, a Tube manager apologised and said there were only a “finite” number of enforcement officers available.
TfL told the Standard they are investigating reports of fare dodging, workplace violence and anti-social behaviour.
It came as the government announced some potentially huge Tube news - new laws on the statute books requiring minimum service levels on strike days.
That was just hours after RMT union members voted 90.5 per cent in favour of taking New Year strike action in bid to win better deal from TfL.
You can hear Lydall’s interview with transport secretary Mark Harper on strike strategy, plus his latest analysis on the Hyde Park Corner station chaos.
Listen above, or wherever you find your podcasts.
