India move for London transport call centre? (From Ealing Times)

India move for London transport call centre?

4:50pm Monday 16th February 2004

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The Tube's travel information call centre could be shifted to India to save costs, a major union says.

The Transport Salaried Staff Association wants Transport for London to comment on claims it is looking at relocating the call centre, which handles thousands of enquiries every day.

"We demand that TfL gives a cast-iron guarantee that the capital-based travel information centre won't be swept up in the tide of jobs going off to India," said Rick Justham, a TSSA negotiator and former Tube call centre worker.

Transport for London was unavailable for comment, but is reported to have denied the TSSA claims.

Mr Justham said workers at the travel call centre had amassed a vast body of knowledge about getting around London, much of which would be lost if it were relocated.

"The intricacies of the Tube network are confusing enough for those who live in the capital, never mind on another continent."

Moving the call centre to another British city, or even India, would undermine confidence in London's public transport network, said Mr Justham.

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