Back in May 2016 there was a tube incident at Canning Town tube, wherein a woman had fallen between the train and the platform and she could not free her foot. Emergency staff was called and eventually the woman was freed. Many Londoners will recall the incident as it is a vivid reminder to always mind the gap.
Now, about four months later, there is likely to be a yearlong investigation to see if the station was properly staffed at the time and if the lack of staff played a factor in how long it took for the passenger to be freed. According to reports there was a breakdown in communication as the main hub at Canning Town was unmanned, causing a delay in communication and strategy. It has been said that had the station been manned, it would have taken very little time to free the woman and move the following trains along with minimal delay.
According to Steve Griffiths, London Underground's chief operating officer, staffs were on hand within seconds and were able to contact emergency services immediately and get the woman out within a reasonable amount of time. He says incidents such as this rarely happen at that station and he welcomes an investigation to ensure that passengers are safe and will not be neglected should something happen and the booths be unstaffed.
London Underground is reducing staff in order to cut costs and pass the savings on to customers, but the underlying question is: “Is this safe?”