TfL and London Underground staff finally agree on pay deal

Staff reporter(wp/es):

A long-running pay dispute between TfL  and Tube workers has come to end, with unions calling off some threats of Christmas strike action.

The deal, which was hailed a "massive victory” for Tube workers by union bosses, will grant them access pension schemes, pay rises in line with inflation every year until 2019. They will also get extra money for the launch of the Night Tube.

The RMT union described the agreement, reached after “strike action, campaigning and years of resolve”, as "groundbreaking".

It "turns the tide" on the wave of closures of final-salary pensions schemes across the industry, it said.

Mick Cash, RMT union general secretary, said a deal had been secured for “specific disputes with Tube Lines”.

He said: "The dispute over pensions goes back years. This victory proves once again that the RMT model of militant, industrial trade unionism, backed up by professional negotiations and campaigning, gets results where it matters.”

Other disputes are still ongoing.

More than 3,500 Tube station and other staff are currently ballotingfor strikes over jobs and the closure of ticket offices, with the results expected on Tuesday.

In a separate dispute, 400 members of the RMT union are balloting over whether to launch a campaign of industrial action on the Piccadilly Line.

The union said there had been a "wholesale breakdown" of industrial relations on the line, which serves Heathrow Airport.

TfL has been contacted for comment.

Stabbed Ealing businessman saved from knife

Crime reporter(wp/es):

A businessman stabbed by a former employee today hailed as heroes two colleagues who saved his life by wrestling the attacker to the ground. 

Lee Stalham, 38, was at his desk preparing for a meeting when Mohammed Himedan walked into his office brandishing a kitchen knife and stabbed him repeatedly.

Mr Stalham, the owner of Ealing-based corporate telecoms firm Your Company Mobiles, was knifed three times in the right arm before he fled towards the stairs. Dutch-born Himedan, 25, gave chase and continued the attack, stabbing him in the kidney. 

Account manager Kevin Ofosu-Amaah, 20, tackled Himedan to the ground and customer service manager Albinia Nicholas, 29, pulled Mr Stalham to safety. Mr Stalham said: “I should be dead. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for them.”

Mr Stalham said Himedan walked into his second-floor office, shouted, “F*** you” and began to stab him.

He said Himedan had worked for him for 15 months before he “stopped turning up” in mid-December last year. “He went Awol. It was very mysterious. Then at 9.30am on February 10 he just walked in,” he said.

“He came up to a bank of desks, looked at me and said something like, ‘F*** you’ and plunged the knife into me.  It was a deliberate, sustained attack. He was intent on chasing me down the stairs to finish me off. Albinia and Kevin were heroes that day, we will be friends for life.”

Mr Ofosu-Amaah received a deep cut to his hand after trying to wrestle the knife away and was stabbed in the foot as he pinned Himedan to the floor.

£47m route 'should be completed next year'

Pic:Buckingham Palace
Royal  correspondent(wp):

The £47 million cycle superhighway that will pass Buckingham Palace should finally be completed next year, cycling campaigner Chris Boardman believes.

There were concerns Transport for London would leave a “half-mile gap” in the largely segregated Tower Hill to Hyde Park route due to cuts and logistical headaches. It was due for completion in May but TfL only started work on Constitution Hill last month and  has been unable to set a date for the  Spur Road and Birdcage Walk sections. 

Boardman, the ex-Olympic champion and policy adviser to British Cycling, said Val Shawcross, the deputy mayor for cycling, told him the route “is going ahead as planned”.

Green assembly member Caroline Russell, who will question Sadiq Khan on the delay and his discussions with Royal Parks next week, said Ms Shawcross told her construction on the Birdcage Walk section was possibly due to start next month.

TfL this week revealed an £11 million “slippage” in the amount it had been due to spend on cycling this financial year.

New TfL budgets will be set by the Mayor, who pledged to make London “a byword for cycling”, this month. TfL said it was working hard and that construction will extend into the new year.

Woman suffers horrific head injuries in brutal street robbery

Pic:Philippa May, 43, suffered severe facial cuts and bruising after she was pushed to the floor
Crime reporter(wp/es):

These are the shocking injuries inflicted on a woman by a hooded robber who shoved her to the ground before viciously attacking her in an alleyway. 

Philippa May, 43, suffered severe facial cuts and bruising after she was pushed to the floor as she walked through Uxbridge town centre. 

The man, who was wearing a hooded top and gloves, attacked Ms May and stole her rucksack and two mobile phones. 

Ms May was walking down St John’s Road in Uxbridge town centre at around 07.30pm on Halloween when she turned into an alley which leads to Culvery Lane. 

After the attack she managed to make her way to her partner's house where she phoned the police. 

The suspect ran back down the main road past the General Elliott pub. 

Some of her belongings were later recovered in nearby Rockingham Park but the rucksack and phones remain missing.

Investigating Officer Detective Constable Reda Imane said: "Philippa has taken the brave step of releasing an image which shows the extent of her injuries and highlight the excessive violence used by her attacker.

"Philippa was lucky she did not suffer more serious injuries but it goes without saying that her ordeal was extremely traumatic and she has yet to return to work. 

Green Park Tube station evacuated at rush hour after fire alert

Staff reporter(wp/es):

Green Park Tube station was evacuated and closed at rush hour after a fire alert.

Services were not stopping at the station after it was shut at around 9am.

A Transport for London spokesman said the alarm had gone off but there was no fire at the station.

Engineers were expected to reset the alarm so the station could re-open.

London Assembly member Caroline Russell was one of those caught up in the chaos.

She tweeted: ”Irony - decided to use tube not bike today as @LondonAssembly transport committee looking at underground. Been evacuated from Green Park."

Passenger Adam Blackwood tweeted: “Green park station closing for emergency...just made the carriage out.”

And Lil Miss Joey wrote: “Green Park station evacuated due to "Inspector Sands" alert. Hope everything is ok.”

Driver arrested after crash leaves five dead

Staff reporter(wp/es):

The driver of the tram which overturned leaving five people dead and more than 50 in hospital has been arrested.

The tragedy happened when the tram derailed on a sharp bend near Sandilands station in Croydon early on Wednesday morning.

Firefighters worked throughout the day to free trapped passengers although two remain inside the wreckage.

British Transport Police confirmed to the Standard that the driver has now been arrested and remains in custody.

A spokesman said: “We can confirm an arrest has been made in connection with the Croydon incident."

They added: "Five people have sadly died following this incident. More than 50 others have been taken to hospital with injuries.

London mayor Sadiq Khan sent his "thoughts and prayers" to everyone involved in the crash, also praising the emergency services for "working extremely hard under very difficult circumstances".

Witnesses said the incident, involving a two-carriage vehicle, happened on a fast bend near a tunnel. 

Police confirmed they were called to the scene near Sandilands tram stop in Croydon at around 6.10am.

Officers said they were dealing with a “very serious” incident.

“Multiple resources” from the London Fire Brigade and the London Ambulance Service were also on the scene.

London Fire Brigade sent eight fire engines and more than 70 firefighters to the scene at Addiscombe Road.

Fire crews using specialist equipment freed a number of people but two remained inside the tram at 9.45am.

Croydon University Hospital advised people with minor routine ailments to stay away this afternoon while staff treated 31 casualties for their injuries.

Media relations officer Hannah Collier, 23, who lives nearby, said she saw people being carried away on stretchers.

She said: “I was in bed watching the election when I heard a massive crash at about 6.15am, which I thought was the wind.

“Then I heard people shouting and then the emergency services arriving. Later I saw at least one person being brought out on a stretcher.

“I’d say there are roughly 20-30 emergency vehicles there now, then they started bringing up the casualties, some very seriously injured.”

Adil Salahi, whose property overlooks the track, said the noise he heard was “sudden”.

The 76-year-old said: “It was about 6.10am to 6.15am and because I was praying I could not move and try to check what it is. I thought it was something in the garage doors. Then I thought it was some lorry.”

James Long, who lives metres away from the scene, said: “It happened on a sharp bend on the approach to Sandilands tram stop.

“I’ve never seen so any emergency services attend a scene.”

Miguel John, who was on a bus to Bromley when it stopped by Sandilands tram stop, added: “The road hadn’t been shut off yet but emergency services were already at the scene, this would have been around 6.30am.

“By this point more emergency services were flooding to the scene and a police car shut off the road with vehicles being ushered down Elgin Road towards Addiscombe.

“But it was obvious it was very, very serious due to the amount of emergency services at the scene.

“At first there would have been roughly between six or 10 [vehicles], as time passed a lot more arrived and continued to arrive.

“Visibly from where I was about two fire engines, two to three ambulances, several police cars and then more arrived as time went on.

“I think that’s how everyone knew it was very serious, especially how quickly they acted to shut off the road.”

The tram derailed on a stretch of track around 200 metres from Sandilands tram station where emergency crews could be seen working alongside the carriage.

The carriage was lying diagonally across the tracks at an interchange.

Empty stretchers could be seen laid on the side of the track.

The scene is overlooked by a small road bridge and concealed from view by trees and foliage.

The Croydon Tramlink line was closed between Reeves Corner and Addiscombe village, while police set up a cordon stretching more than 400 metres along Addiscombe road.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “My thoughts and prayers are with the friends and family of those who have lost their lives today and everyone involved in this tragic incident.

“I am in contact with the emergency services and TfL, who are working extremely hard under very difficult circumstances to get the situation under control and treat those who have been injured.

We have set up a number for relatives and friends to call for more information: 0800 056 0154."

The Croydon Tramlink opened in 2000 and became the first tram system in London since 1952.

The network consists of 39 stops along 17 miles of track, a mixture of street track shared with other traffic, dedicated track in public roads and off-street tram lines.

Tram accidents are extremely rare and most incidents involve collisions with other vehicles or pedestrians or cyclist being hit by trams.

Earlier this year a tram derailed in Melbourne, Australia after colliding with a car. 

In 2007 a tourist tram at Seaton in Devon derailed thugh there were no injuries. The cause was suspected to be someone placing an object in the points.

The London Ambulance Service said more than 50 people had been taken to hospital.

Grammar schools 'would disrupt London's education system' says UCL expert

Educational reporter(wp/es):

Grammar schools would disrupt London’s pioneering education system, an academic warned today. 

Dr Rebecca Allen - a leading schools expert - said the capital’s London Challenge programme is proof that the state sector does not need selection to thrive.

Her remarks came as the country’s top education experts and policy makers, and schools minister Nick Gibb, presented evidence to the Commons on selective education.

Dr Allen, of University College London and director of research body Education Datalab, said: “London state schools are a beacon for high standards and excellence without the need for academic selection at age 11. 

“There are opportunities for schools in other parts of the country to learn more about how to deliver a high quality academic education to all, regardless of background.”

Theresa May has said allowing new grammars would improve social mobility and standards, and enable the country to become a “true meritocracy”.

The London Challenge school improvement programme began in 2003 and pairs failing schools with successful ones. GCSE grades for pupils have shot up and the capital’s standards improved faster than any other part of the country. 

London mayor Sadiq Khan is among the high profile figures urging Theresa May to drop her controversial plans for more grammars - arguing that London schools proved high standards are not driven by selection.

He claims the increased investment, better teaching and school leadership had been the key ingredients to success in the capital.

Today Labour MP Lisa Nandy will lead the first major cross-party debate in the Commons on grammars and is asking for the Government to assess the evidence on the effect of selective education on children’s learning.

New Department for Education statistics show just 7.6 percent of London grammar school children receive the pupil premium funding for disadvantaged pupils, compared 40 percent of children attending London state schools. She claims this is further evidence grammars do not work in the interest of the capital’s very poorest pupils.

She said: “Instead of pitting children against one another Ministers should learn from the success of the London Challenge and encourage schools to work together for the benefit of all children.

"It is becoming increasingly clear that Theresa May has no plan to take the country forwards when her only major plan for London’s children is to turn the clock back to the 1950s.”

Today sixty headteachers in the Tory heartland of Surrey wrote to the Education Secretary Justine Greening to voice their “vehement opposition” to the Government’s proposals for new grammar schools. 

Members of the Surrey Secondary Headteachers’ Phase Council, said the policy would lead to further fragmentation of the education system and there is no evidence it would improve social mobility.