THE union boss behind strikes causing misery to thousands of rail commuters has been pictured travelling to work by car.
Aslef general secretary, Mick Whelan, was driven to Paddington station by his wife on Thursday in a silver Nissan Juke hatchback from his £500,000 home in Wembley
When asked if he was enjoying an easier commute than strike-hit passengers, he said: “I do not even drive.
“I support the public transport system which we want to make greener. I do not have a chauffeur driven car, far from it. I use the same overcrowded trains as everyone else.”
The Evening Standard found that Mr Whelan often rides to his office on trains where drivers open and close the doors – the very system he condemns as too unsafe.
Figures released under the Freedom of Information act have revealed there has been a fall in dangerous incidents since driver-only operated (DOO) trains were introduced on key London Overground lines, which Mr Whelan uses.
Transport For London gave details of the number of incidents in the year before DOO services and the year after on two key lines.
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4They showed the number of “signals passed at danger” incidents fell from 12 to seven and the number of times the emergency braking system was used fell from 30 to 23.
As well as this, the number of train doors on the wrong side were opened fell from 32 to 16 and incidents of doors released when the train was not fully in the station fell from five to zero.
This has cast questions over Aslef’s claim that safety dears over the trains are behind the strikes that will halt services for 300,000 people next week.
Station over runs and speeding was also reduced, the only category that increased, from three to five cases, were incidents where drivers went through a station without stopping.
On Thursday, the independent rail safety watchdog approved Southern’s DOO services as safe for passengers and rail staff.
The capital is bracing itself for a week of havoc as RMT union is planning a Tube strike on Sunday night and Monday – unless last ditch talks prevent them.
Southern Rail drivers are also due to go on strike for three days next week and three more later in the month due to the row over who should close train doors.
Business groups estimated the cost to London as tens of millions of pounds.
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