Whilst the Central, Jubilee & Victoria lines are automatic the other still have to be driven manually and woe betide a driver that goes past a red signal. You get taken off driving trains if you get too many points on your licence. (In France you would get the sack for a first offence.) In time all lines will be automated and London Undeground have issued a paper suggesting that the train operators could be replaced by a train attendant although existing staff would keep their conditions.
There are plenty of driverless lines and not just in airport terminals, for example Paris Metro line 14.
There is actually quite a lot to learn to be a tube driver - although less than a pilot!
There are several reasons why drivers pay has risen:
- The situation is parallel to pilots prior to airline degregulation where pilots were able to negotiate them way above market rates claiming productivity improvements etc.
- Franchises were awarded on the basis that operators would take revenue risk. Revenue has risen faster than expected hence operators have done rather well. Unions have been able to take their cut. There is what that Governor of the Bank of England would describe as "moral hazard" that is if revenue was less than forecast you lost your franchise and lost a bond but that is all (Northern Spirit, National Expres East Coast etc) if you made more you kept it. ("Cap & Collar" later changed this but lets not go into too much detail.)
- Drivers can easily move between employers. There is no seniority, unlike steam days (no parallel with airlines here). In the early days of privatisation there was a shortage of drivers and as operators were fined for not running trains it was cheaper to poach staff from other operators. The long distance & London operators could afford to pay more (cheaper than a strike). The regional operators which are akin to commuter airlines had to match them. Subsidy levels increased.
- The Government assumed that market forces will force costs to reduce. However the rail market is not a free market. ASLE&F was defeated in 1982 but that was against a single employer backed by the Government.
Will things change? Well the RMT could overplay their hand as BASSA did. If there is a downturn and operators start losing money the Government would have to step in and the balance of power would change. If there were to be a contingency fleet of buses in and a Government willing to put limitations on single occupancy of cars London could probably do without railways for a few weeks which would concentrate minds. I think that it would require a major change in the structure of the industry for much to happen.
Also bear in mind that drivers salaries vary by country and and are lower in most although some do very well such as the French. Looking at the ATC forum some controllers, such as the Spanish to very well, others not as well. Its the same with train drivers.
Last edited by Peter47; 3rd Jan 2012 at 07:48.