04/02/2014 BBC London News

into Friday morning and enhance the risk of flooding. That is all from

us, news teams where you are.

Tonight on BBC London News. I'm sorry, Bob, there is a table to be

sat round, by you and your team We can't do it while you put a guno

your head. Bob and Boris finally talk, but only on the radio. With no

compromise, tonight's strike is on. We'll gauge opinions of the dispute

from across the capital. The strikers are defending their jobs,

but they're also defending the service that they're giving. Being

able to hold London to ransom. We talk to the Mayor and the RMT leader

plus give you the travel information you need. Also tonight: Police

release CCTV images of a suspected murderer who they fear could kill

again. And, behind`the`scenes of the most unusual play you're ever likely

to see. Good evening. Welcome to the

programme. Tube workers go on strike from 9.00pm tonight and two`days of

disruption for millions of Londoners will begin. The dispute is over

planses to close all ticket offices on the network and cut jobs. London

Underground says it's a vital part of its modernisation plan. The RMT

union says the changes will make travelling on the Tube more

dangerous. We start our coverage this evening with our transport

correspondent, Tom Edwards. Tom over to you. In the last hour,

Transport for London for said to the unions that it's not too the late to

call off this strike. This was the day when talking failed. Just hours

before a Tube strike, union bosses were at City Hall in an extremely

unusual move, they wanted to talk to the Mayor direct about the dispute.

Do you think it will work? The ball is in his court. He said he wants to

meet us. We will wait for them. Turning up here shows our resolve to

try and get a resolution to this longstanding dispute. The Mayor was

hosting a radio phone`in, for the first time in years, Bob Crow and

the Mayor talked. There have been massive improvements in technology.

OK. Fewer and fewer people actually use... Sit round the table, explain

about all this new technology? I'm sorry, Bob, there is a table to be

sat round by you and your team. We can't do it while you put a gun to

your head? I'm not... You served the notice on our union to say the jobs

were going. If you didn't serve the notice there wouldn't be a strike

tonight. The simple round it, withdraw that notice, suspend the

notice, we will suspend the action and get round the table, out of the

pressure cooker and look at the future of London Underground. Why

can't the document be withdrawn I don't know what he is talking about.

It's complete nonsense. The strike is over: LU says technology means

ticket offices aren't needed. It says it will seek to avoid

compulsory redundancies. With no joy over the phone, union bosses entered

City Hall and waited and waited The Mayor's office said they'd only talk

if the strikes were called off. The union would only do that if job

losses were suspended. Are you going to call the strike off? No, I'm not

calling the strike off. The Mayor had this to say. He can talk to me

any time. My office is open. He can have a coffee a pinacalda if he

calls off the pointless strike. Looms for commuters. Of course,

caught in the middle of the row are the many people whose journeys will

be made more difficult by the strike. Tara Welsh has been hearing

the views of people across London. Been months in the making, the fist

edition of their new running magazine is ready. All the publicity

has arrived for the lunch party near the city tomorrow. 160 guests were

supposed to be going, then came news of the Tube strike. I think it could

really blow a Noel our plans. We could end up with half the people

that we thought were coming, coming. It's little things like the caterers

are asking how much food we want. I have no idea. I don't know how many

people will be able to get there. Minutes from their office, a

different type of leaflet. One in support of the strike. The strikers

are defending their jobs. They are also defending the service that they

are giving. They get job satisfaction from giving a good

service. If there's not enough of them there, if they are not Manning

the station, they know that safety is at risk. They are fighting for

one thing or another. They may have a reason why. The affect it will

have on members of the public I can't begin to contemplate. I don't

want to think about it until I have to tomorrow. People should have the

right to strike and stick up for themselves without the media picking

on them. Nearly all the staff here rely on the Tube. They say the

strike means cancelled meetings and loss productivity. It doesn't seem

right that such a small number of people can vote in favour of strike

action, that doesn't just cause harm to London, but to the wider UK

economy in general. These strikes aren't good for Londoners. Not good

for business. Not good fort economy. I can't see any reason why they they

should be happening. And the unions claim public opinion is on their

side. What seems to be undisputed though is that this strike will

cause problems for thousands across the capital. Earlier, I spoke to the

Mayor and asked him about whether today's events highlighted just how

bad industrial relations had become. My door is open to Bob Crow, as I've

said before, to come in and talk about the long`term future of the

Tube. If he calls off what I think is a completely pointless strike,

that will do no good for his members, for Londoners, and for the

long`term future of the Tube. Can't deny that this stalemate is

embarrassing. Embarrassing for you and Londoners. One of you has to be

the bigger man, will it be? The RMT and the TSSA need to call off what

is a completely pointless strike and what they need to do is to get into

the negotiations and sort it out. Will you compromise? I'm always

happy to talk to the leadership of the RMT, to the leader of the TSSA

about the long`term future of the Tube and our vision for London. What

I won't do is second guess our negotiators and do their job for

them. They clearly want to talk to you, don't they? I... Of course they

do. Of course, they do. They, let me tell you why. Let me finish my

question. Please. Why let it get to this stage? Shouldn't the leader of

the city be prepared to sit down and talk to people even if you don't

agree with them? No. Of course they want to get me into the conversation

because they want to escalate it politically. They know I'm a tender

hearted old so`and`so and they hope there by to get round TFL

negotiators. That is completely the wrong approach. A personal

relationship with you be exactly the kind of thing that would help break

deadlock on occasions like this No. Do you think you failed in that

sense? On the contrary, I think that what needs to happen now is that the

union representatives need to stop playing politics. They need to stop

trying to dodge the question. Look at the offer that is on the table.

Of course, they want to try and drag the politicians into it. This is

essentially a political gesture by them. It will make absolutely no

difference to the long`term future of their members. It certainly won't

do anything for London Underground. It's completely the wrong way

forward. What they need to do is get to the table, call off the strike,

and begin negotiating. With the loss of around 700 station staff, can you

guarantee that safety won't be compromise? Yes. Etc specially in

outer stations where you will see one person on the platform complete

with an iPad? This is the right thing to do. Once we explained to

Londoners what the programme would involve. 82% support this. What we

are doing is getting staff out from behind the glass, where they can't

be use to passengers and customers, getting them on to the concourses

and platforms where they can be genuinely of assistance. Crime has

come down on the Tube by 20% on the six years. It's the safest tube

system anywhere in Europe. We are absolutely confident these reforms

will enable us to continue making it ever safer. That was the Mayor,

Boris Johnson, speaking to me earlier. What about the unions? Our

political editor, Tim Donovan, asked the RMT's Bob Crow if he'd done

enough to avoid the strike. Our local negotiators have been in

there, day in, day out, trying to talk to them. The reason to shut

every booking office. They haven't explained why every booking office

should be shut down, purely on finance. They will say they will

extend the consultation period, call off the strike? It's not as simple

as that. They said there will be 400 people who applied for redundancies

they will press ahead. On top of that as well, they are saying to

people, retrain to do new jobs. We haven't agreed what the new jobs

will be. How they get the new jobs. We want an understanding from the

Mayor of London. When he stood or election said he would keep bookings

offices open, why he wants to shut them down. Can change and how you

will end, or you appear to be on the wrong side of the argument. When you

use fewer tickets you need fewer ticket offices? It's not just the

issue. The issue is not just using the tickets. These people don't

serve behind the ticket office. The other supervisors who work on the

stations those people have to reapply for their own jobs. All

these people are safety critical people. When the vicious terrorist

attacks took place in London they came to the help and support of the

travelling public. You have an opportunity to put that through in

terms of the consultation. Raise safety issues they can be addressed?

They haven't consulted properly at all. They haven't changed since last

November, throughout all the negotiations, our negotiators have

been in ACAS all last week, and yesterday, they haven't changed

nothing. London Underground keep saying there is an open door. It's'

revolving door. We go out the same day we come in. They gave you the

commitment there will be more staff visible to the public. The public

want more staff available not just in ticket offices. Our members work

Friday and Saturday night. It's not a b pro. Our members walking home at

2.00 am and 3.00 am around London if they will be safe. If more people

will use London Underground, it s not an industrying that is

collapsing. It's a growing industry. Hundreds of thousands of people will

use London Underground. The last thing you want to do is take out

1,000 jobs when you want to use the services more. On now. There is

nothing anyone can do about it? The form they sent over saying 758 jobs

were going to go is withdraw it we start the process of talks. We are

quite committed to give... It will not happen. Mayor will not budge?

The strike goes ahead. The interests of 2,000 workers who voted here

causing all this disruption to Londoners? That is not the issue

about 2,000 workers. The fact of the matter is, all of our members got a

ballot paper we respect their wishes whether they vote yes or no.

Therefore, what else will we do to be in a trade union. We turn around

#57bd say employers can do what they want for us bed or stand up and

fight. Our members decided to stand up and fight. Was Bob Crow leader of

the RMT. We will have more on the Tube strike later. I will tell you

what you need to know if you are travelling tomorrow and how best to

get around. The other news now. Detectives

investigating the murder of a sex worker at a flat in Earl's Court

have released CCTV images of a man they want to speak to about her

death. The body of Maria Duque`Tunjano was discovered last

Friday. Police say they believed Robert Richard Fraser is still in

the capital and are warning other sex workers could be at risk. Robert

Richard Fraser in central London on Sunday. Detectives believe that days

earlier he was involved in the violent murder of a prostitute in

Earl's Court. Fraser was the last person seen with Maria

Duque`Tunjano, a week ago today They also think he robbed and

attacked another sex workers in Paddington last month. He is known

to the police and today the detective leading the hunt appealed

to him directly. I'm just looking for him. I want him, I'm saying to

Robert, please hand yourself in to the nearest police station or you

can contact the number that is published, a detective is waiting to

talk to you. Dieudonne Maria Duque`Tunjano brought her clients

here. Police were called here on Friday afternoon. They say her body

could have been here for up to three days. They warn other sex workers to

be on the alert. Contact the support workers. If you don't know their

numbers, contact our incident room. If you feel you are in danger,

contact 999. Fraser who goes by the names Robert Aleem and Shia Robert

Jackson is known to have connections to the edge where and Golders Green

areas. Detectives say he has mental health issues and shouldn't be

approached. The family and friends of a man who

died after being detained in custody are welcoming and enquiry. The case

of Leon Briggs has prompted the Home Secretary Theresa

painful memories of Leon Briggs His best friend goes to the spot in

Luton where he was detained by police and never seen again.

He was one of the most loving people you could ever know. A lovely guy.

Leon Briggs was brought here to Luton police station by officers who

say they were concerned about his behaviour and detained him under the

Mental Health Act. They say he became ill and later died in

hospital. The Independent Police Complaints Commission is carrying

out an investigation into what happened. Investigators have studied

CCTV from the police custody suites and they say suspected offences

include gross negligence, misconduct and manslaughter. Five police

officers and two civilian staff have been suspended. The case of the

32`year`old father of two is the latest to be investigated by the

IPCC. The Home Secretary has ordered an urgent enquiry into the treatment

of vulnerable people in custody a move welcomed by Leon's MP who wants

his body camera is compulsory. They would not be governed just by an

individual officer on the beat or a local management decision, but there

is a national rule about how they are used. Every incident which is

properly recorded would help both sides. Tonight Leon Briggs' family

and friends are holding a vigil in Luton to remember him and to

reiterate their call for answers. A woman from London has lost her

legal challenge at the Court of Appeal over the legality of random

please stop and search powers. Ann Juliette Roberts had accused the Met

of using the tactic disproportionately against black

Londoners. The High Court ruled the police had acted lawfully and three

Court of Appeal judges rejected her claim that the original decision had

been wrong. Two cancer patients have died after NHS rules were broken by

Watford General Hospital. West Herts NHS Trust has carried out a review

into how it monitored patients' appointments. An external

investigation has been launched It says the care of three patients

was compromised and two have since died. 13 incredibly rare iguanas

have been seized by customs at Heathrow. The San Salvador rock

iguanas were found stuffed into socks. Officers stopped two Romanian

women at terminal five on Monday and made the discovery before they

boarded a plane to Dusseldorf. A multi`million pound redevelopment

of a south London hospital may not go ahead after some local doctors

said it was not necessary. St Helier Hospital in Carshalton is at the

centre of a row over whether its maternity and A services should be

downgraded. The Chancellor earmarked millions of pounds for the

development in his Autumn statement, but now there are

concerns it will not happen. It is not in a great state of repair, but

it supplies a fantastic service It needs to be refurbished. We need new

ward blocks and the money is there and it exists and the plans are

there. The local NHS is saying no. Who would pay good money to go to a

play when the only part of the actor you can see is they're moving lips?

Quite a few. Not I by Samuel Beckett is proving an unlikely hit in the

west end despite its obvious challenges for the audience and

actor. Brenda Emmanus reports. Out into this world, this world, a tiny

little thing... A mouth, a pitch black space and the rantings of a

troubled, 70`year`old woman. This is Not I, Samuel Beckett's dramatic

monologue. Both mesmerising and disturbing, it is also one of the

most challenging roles in theatre. Even when I am rehearsing, the piece

produces terror. No matter how well you know it, it never gets any

easier. I am blackened out and blindfolded. I cannot see or hear. I

am strapped by my lovely stage manager into this device. What I

love about Samuel Beckett is he asks so much of a performer. I have never

been asked to offer so much and that is such a privilege. Billie Whitelaw

performed Not I in 1973 and was personally coached by Samuel

Beckett. He was so demanding in the fact that he was so meticulous. If

you mispronounced something, he would say, oh, Lord and his head

would go down to his hands. But because I knew he was radiating love

and he cared and he wanted due to be perfect, which was not possible it

did not upset me. Samuel Beckett's work is not easy and not for

everyone, but this trilogy of plays has put bums on seats. It sold out

everywhere you have performed it. How do you feel about bringing it to

the West End? One of the big appeals is that Samuel Beckett does not

patronise an audience and he asks a lot of them. I think people really

respond to that. Not I is at the Duchess Theatre until the 15th of

February. Returning to the Tube strike, the walk`out starts tonight

at 9pm and continues for 48 hours. Alice Bhandhakravi has been looking

into how the dispute will affect services.

Heading home tonight and planning how they will get around for the

next two days. It is likely to be a challenging 48 hours. Everybody will

be on the road on bikes, on the buses and that will slow everything

down. It has a huge impact on me. I work long days, so I have to find a

way of getting a bus at about 5 0 in the morning. We do not know exactly

how badly services will be affected, but he is what we do know. There

will be disruption on all lines Trains running will operate between

every six and 20 minutes and the services will start later than

normal at 7am and finish at 11pm. The picture is copperplated, but to

give you an idea of how it will run, let's take a couple of examples On

the Central Line there will be no trains in the middle section, but

there will be some services at either end. It is similar on the

Piccadilly line. There is no service in central London, but outer edges

will have a limited service. One of the difficulties you have with some

of the stations is you have to have a minimum number of staff for safety

reasons. Safety is our number one priority. When you have got a number

of people to support the service, you have to distribute them around

the service. How else can you get around? The DLR, the overground and

tram services will be operating as normal. There will be extra buses

and Londoners are being advised to consider cycling and walking. It is

a changing picture and you can keep up to date on the website, or follow

our travel team on Twitter. Let's get a final thought on the

Tube strike from our transport correspondent Tom Edwards. I gather

there has been more political reaction. Tonight the Prime Minister

and the leader of the opposition Ed Miliband have both condemned the

strike. David Cameron has called it shameful and Ed Miliband said it

should not go ahead. I leave you with words from Harriet Harman, she

says all sides need their heads knocking together. Commuters are

going to sympathise with that tonight. Our transport correspondent

Tom Edwards. Let's get a check on the weather. The weather will play a

part if you are standing in a bus queue or cycling or walking

tomorrow. The part it will play will be a bad

one. The next 24 hours is going to bring as stormy weather and it is

whipping its way across the Atlantic as we speak. There are two separate

warnings. 50 mph gusts are possible overnight and we could have 50

millimetres of rain, which is what we do not need. This evening the

clouds thicken up and the rain will be knocking on our door very

shortly. The heaviest will come through tonight at around midnight

across parts of Berkshire and Surrey and in the North East. They will be

intense downpours and that is when we will have those gusty, squally

winds. That will clear and there will be some showers and the

temperatures will be down to four or five degrees. When you are standing

in that bus queue tomorrow it will be a blustery start to the day. As

we go into the lunchtime period and band of heavy rain will go through

and again the wind has the chance of blowing up to 50 mph. That will be

particularly unpleasant. There will still be some heavy showers around

as we finished the day and get into this evening was mad rush hour. For

much of Thursday it will be drier and brighter for a time. This area

of low pressure has looked uncertain during the week, but the current

thinking is there will be more persistent, heavy rain overnight on

Thursday into Friday, which is just what we do not need. On Friday there

is a respite, but that is ahead of the weekend when yet more Atlantic

storms look like they are going to head our way. I wish I could give

you some good news, but I am the harbinger of doom at the moment

The headlines: Prince Charles has visited flood hit areas of Somerset

and better farmers and residents, some of whom have been cut off for

more than a month. The chief executive of BP has expressed his

concerns about the possibility of Scotland becoming independent saying

there was a question over which currency would be adopted.

Cuadrilla has announced two new site in Lancashire where it plans to try

fracking for shale gas. Tube workers walk out tonight at 9pm

as a 48 hour strike on the cheap begins bringing disruption to

millions of Londoners. The row is over plans to close ticket offices

and job losses. You can see the latest on the travel disruption on

our website. I will be back later during the ten o'clock news. Have a

lovely evening, goodbye.