MAIN line rail stations serving London could be left unstaffed for longer periods during the day, and late at night.

Union bosses today demanded that transport minister Lord Adonis halt moves by South West Trains to slash opening hours at 114 ticket offices.

They fear that if SWT - one of the busiest commuter operators - is allowed to reduce opening times, other companies will quickly follow.

A government decision is said to be imminent on the SWT move, which has also angered commuters and rail watchdogs.

SWT, owned by transport giant Stagecoach, which recorded pre-tax profits of £174.4million for the 12 months ending in April, is planning to close some ticket offices at weekends and reduce weekday opening hours at many others to save money.

It will also increase peak fares by an inflation-busting average of six per cent this Friday, adding hundreds of pounds to annual season tickets. Off-peak fares will go up by more than seven per cent.

SWT serves local and long-distance routes from the South West and carries more than 340,000 passengers a day, three quarters of them to and from Waterloo station.

Union leaders say the cuts will affect safety. Bob Crow, leader of the RMT, the largest of the rail unions, said: "We need more staff on stations, not fewer.

"If SWT is allowed to get away with it, other greedy train operators will see it as a green light to shut ticket offices across the rail network."

Passenger fears over unstaffed stations have been highlighted by the Evening Standard's Safer Stations campaign, launched after the murder of Tom ap Rhys Pryce more than two years ago.

The City lawyer was stabbed after he left the unstaffed Silverlink station at Kensal Green, then owned by National Express. Silverlink is now part of Transport for London's London Overground, with stations now staffed constantly while trains are running.

Mr Crow said: "It is unacceptable that a hugely profitable company like SWT should attempt to lay off vital front-line railway staff, not least in the current economic climate.

"The Government has the power to stop these unwarranted cuts and I have asked the minister to act decisively in the interests of passengers."

He added: "Our campaign against these cuts was endorsed by a large number of passengers who were as horrified about the prospect as our members are."

Gerry Doherty, leader of transport union TSSA, said: "SWT is putting profit before passengers. Opposition to the cuts, which will leave many stations unstaffed at weekends, has been overwhelming."

An SWT spokeswoman said there would be improved ticket vending machines at stations. "We have submitted our proposals to the Department for Transport and are still talking to them," she said.

A DfT spokeswoman said: "The Department is currently considering SWT's proposals."

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