Management want to trial station staff at Piccadilly and Oxford Circus challenging passengers drinking alcohol during the bank holiday weekend.
The alcohol ban may well have been in place since 2008, butparticularly on night tube we know it's not worth trying to enforce it. Most passengers are alright but challenging drunk people holding glass bottles isn't what we signed up for! Only last weekend a CSA had alcohol thrown in their face for asking someone to stop drinking.
The Pic Circus AM says that in reality nothing different will be required from staff, so what is this trial for? An increased BTP presence will be in both stations so are they going to challenge people? Usually even they can see it isn't worth it.
More worryingly staff are given the opportunity to wear a body camera during the trial. Do we really want to give management more excuses to check up on us?
Station staff should not be put at risk, already we need more staff to deal with night time hit spots. No staff should be put at risk of assault. Our unions should be ready to stop this trial becoming policy.
