|
|
 |
| |
Tube vandals: LU accused
UNDERGROUND staff were accused of potentially dangerous neglect by a London Assembly member as the mystery surrounding the Christmas Day vandalism of Camden Town station remained unsolved this week.
Vandals caused at least £20,000 of damage when they broke into the Tube station and spent several hours daubing all four platforms, notice-boards, escalators and walls with graffiti – damage that was not discovered until Boxing Day.
Brian Coleman, Assembly member for Barnet and Camden, said he was “astonished” when managers admitted at a Northern Line Stakeholder Group meeting last week that they still did not know how the offenders got access to the station.
He said: “I’m extremely concerned by the admission of London Underground that they cannot explain how vandals entered the station, or give a reasonable excuse as to why LU staff in the control room monitoring CCTV images did not spot them during the act.
“If staff in the control room had been watching the CCTV images properly this situation and the £20,000 clean up costs could have been avoided. It is even possible that the culprits may even have been apprehended.”
“It has made me wonder if the CCTV is monitored at all.
“That is really dangerous – these people could have fixed three blast bombs in the tunnels and no-one would know.
“Why were there staff in the control room on Christmas Day if they weren’t monitoring the CCTV? Were they drinking sherry and eating mince pies?”
The British Transport Police, responsible for investigating the break-in in which the vandals sprayed Merry Christmas BTP on one of the walls, have made progress in the case but are not discussing how the criminals got access, a spokeswoman said on Monday.
Requests from the New Journal for an interview with the investigating officer have been repeatedly declined.
A spokesperson for London Underground said: “On Christmas Day, Camden Town station and all other Tube stations were closed, but CCTV systems remained active for recording purposes.
“Staff were present in line control centres to monitor essential track systems.
“Security checks are regularly undertaken on stations by LU staff and were carried out at Camden Town before it was opened for passengers’ use.”
|
 |
|
|
|
