Ticket Office cuts and closures

At the start of the year, security company Loomis lost the contract for collecting cash from LU ticket offices. Brinks took over, promising the earth on a shoestring.

They cut staff from two to one per shift and scheduled too many collections in too little time. They couldn't deliver what they'd...

Teams of engineers are installing WiFi to 80 LU stations. What does this scheme tell us about LU's priorities?

Firstly, LU is out of touch. Do customers even want WiFi? Customers want to get through stations swiftly, not linger on platforms to use the internet. The WiFi is only available on the...

LU's 'Surplus and Loss' procedure, introduced in October, is kicking in.

Ticket selling staff have been flooded with letters, several a week, informing them of the date and amount of discrepancies in their account.

The letters warn that ten such items in 13 weeks will result in disciplinary action...

LU have announced plans to roll out 'AFM functionality' to non-SAMF licenced staff. This is where gateline staff assist customers on the ticket machines with transactions that should be done at the ticket window. It is part of the long-term agenda against ticket office jobs.

LU say this will be...

LU are imposing a new surplus and loss procedure for ticket office staff. If your account is out by £5 or more, a disciplinary item will be generated. Ten or more of these in 13 weeks will lead to a disciplinary hearing. A discrepancy of £50 or more will send you to an instant CDI.

Years ago...

Management are introducing a new 'surplus and loss' procedure for the ticket office. It establishes the principle that a ticket seller can be punished for a discrepancy in their account, although we work with a 'blind banking' system.

In the ticket office, you just bag up your money. You do not...

Oyster vending machines are a nuisance on the stations. They regularly swallow customers' money and staff have no way of retrieving it as the machines are all run by a private company.

So we welcomed the news that they were being decommissioned.

But there is a catch. Work will soon begin to...

Two years ago, LU abolished its 'fares' leaflet for passengers, arousing suspicions that LU were keeping information from customers so they didn't notice how often Oyster over-charges them.

Last week, the guidelines for displaying leaflets in stations told us to 'replace' the discounts guide with...

If you're concerned about the impact on customers of LU's ticket office closures, why not read LU's guide, 'How best to serve our customers when ticket office is closed'? You'll soon feel reassured!

It points out that LU 'remains committed to providing the best service we can to our customers'....

The Greater London Assembly has voted to condemn LU's job cuts, as Labour, LibDems and Greens voted for a resolution opposing the cuts and urging the Mayor to rethink. Apparently the Tories managed to stay in the room this time, thus avoiding a hat-trick of walkouts and allowing themselves to be...