Tube drivers told to go slow

Tube train drivers were today given unprecedented instructions from union chiefs to refuse to drive - or to cut speeds to as low as 5mph - if they have any concerns about tracks being unsafe.

It is the first time Aslef, which represents 2,500 of the Tube's 3,000 drivers, has issued such a blanket instruction across the system. The union's London district secretary, Steve Grant, said:

Drivers are fully entitled to refuse to drive or reduce speeds substantially if they have concerns about safety."

He admitted this could cause further disruption, but added: "A journey that takes a bit longer is better than one which does not take place at all."

Mr Grant, a former Tube train driver, said that any action taken "will be fully supported by the union".

Tomorrow the RMT, the largest of the Tube unions which controls key signal staff, is expected to order a strike ballot over safety. It has set a deadline of noon tomorrow for London Underground to instigate 24-hour track inspections and other safety improvements.

The moves came as fears increased among commuters over the risk of further incidents following yesterday's evacuation of 3 , 000 passengers from trains stranded on the Victoria line and two derailments at the weekend.

The Northern Line, used by 700,000 passengers a day, remains out of action through central London and will not be back in operation until next week following the derailment at Camden Town on Sunday in which seven people were

Today Tube chiefs, union leaders and Terry Morgan, chief executive of Tube Lines, the consortium responsible for track maintenance on the Northern line, appear at a crisis session of the London Assembly ' s transpor t committee.

Tube Lines is part-owned by Jarvis, which is ending its maintenance contracts with the mainline network through Network Rail.

However, Jarvis yesterday made clear it would not end its lucrative contract with LU, after David Clarke, the company's strategy director, appeared before the Commons Transport committee-Labour MP Gwyneth Dunwoody, the committee chairman, asked: "Why should we think that Jarvis will stick with the Tube when you have told us that Jarvis pulls out when you think there's a risk to their money? Why should we not believe you will do that?"

Mr Clarke told the committee that Jarvis's involvement with Tube Lines was financial rather than operational. In a pledge that will infuriate union leaders, he added: "We have no intention of withdrawing from the Tube contract."

Today, Aslef 's Steve Grant highlighted the concerns of drivers who had reported defects with the tracks which were not subsequently fixed.

He said: "I shall be raising these concerns today at the special meeting of the London Assembly's transport committee."

Earl ier this week Metronet, the consortium responsible for the maintenance of all the Tube's sub-surface lines and half the deep-level routes, put engineering staff in cabs with drivers after complaints of bad tracks and "bumpy" rides. Drivers identified four areas which needed work.

One Northern line driver said that sets of points in the Camden Town area had given trouble earlier this year. He said there had been six occasions when track points had to be locked in one direction just to keep the service running.

"The Camden Town area is very busy because four routes converge," he said. "That's where most problems happen."