RMT activists, members of other unions, and local community campaigners assembled at Shepherd’s Bush Tube station tonight (Thursday 8 January) to leaflet and petition passengers against ticket office closures and staffing cuts.

Also joining the protest were local Labour MP Andy Slaughter, local Labour GLA member Murad Qureshi, and RMT Executive member for the London Transport Region John Reid.

Hundreds of leaflets were distributed and signatures collected, with campaigners encountering strong local opposition to the closure and cuts.

The action was called by Hands Off London Transport in conjunction with RMT Central Line West branch. HOLT next plans actions at Leytonstone on Monday 12 January, in conjunction with RMT Central Line East branch (click here for more), and at Ladbroke Grove on Monday 19 January, in conjunction with RMT Hammersmith & City Line branch.

A Hands Off London Transport Activist said: "Building a public, political campaign against ticket office closures and staffing cuts can heap pressure on Boris and the GLA, and local MPs and Prospective Parliamentary Candidates, in the run up to the election. This pressure can feed into the consultation process now underway between management and local reps on new "Business Needs Schematics" for stations, as well as bolster any future industrial action we may decide to take in this dispute.

"The Hands Off London Transport coalition, which is backed by our union at both regional and national level, is a unique opportunity to build links with campaigners from across the labour movement and working-class communities to put forward a positive vision of public transport London - publicly-owned, well-funded, democratically-controlled, properly staffed by well-paid workers in secure, skilled jobs, and accessible to all.

"Several branches, including Central Line East, Central Line West, Hammersmith & City, and Bakerloo have already worked with HOLT to organise leafleting, petitioning, and other actions in defence of ticket offices and staffing levels in their areas. Could your branch do likewise? Get in touch with HOLT on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/handsofflt"

• This article is a taken from the Hands Off London Transport website.