4:55pm Wednesday 17th March 2010
By Jack Royston
THE death of a woman at Kenton station has sparked a row that could see tube drivers refuse to go north of Queens Park.
An eye witness described seeing an old woman jump in front of a Bakerloo Line train at around 9am on Friday.
The RMT says it took 20 minutes for the live railway lines to be turned off, and claims several emergency calls made by the driver were ignored.
Transport for London (TfL) said its staff behaved in an exemplary manner and accused the union of “scaremongering”.
But the RMT says if there is no formal investigation it will back any members who refuse to drive to sections of the Bakerloo Line that are above ground, north of Queens Park.
Tracey O'Brien, a spokesman for TfL, said: “The trained member of staff who was on duty dealt with the incident in an exemplary manner and has been commended for her actions.”
She said there was no fault with radio systems on the day but said the organisation takes any suggestion of a safety issue seriously and is willing to meet the RMT to discuss the issue.
Russel Spink, a spokesman for Network Rail, which runs that part of the line, said: “The safety of both passengers and railway staff is our top priority.
“The power to the affected area was shut off within three minutes of receiving the call from the driver. No emergency calls were ignored.”
Nicholas Evangeli, owner of Nicholas Gentlemen's Hairdresser, opposite the station, said one tube passenger told him how she was just yards from the woman when the train hit.
He said: “She was on the platform opposite and she saw this old lady jump in front of the train. They said if the train moved the woman would die. This girl was very shocked.”
Two ambulances and a helicopter raced to the station in an effort to save the woman, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Mr Evangeli described seeing a black, private ambulance arrive to collect her body.
No formal identification has yet taken place.
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