Striking Metronet workers are among RMT members and supporters lobbying the Department of Transport from 11:30 to 13:00, calling for an end to the disastrous part-privatisation of the Tube and for the return of maintenance work in-house.

The ICM omnibus poll of 1,028 Londoners questioned between August 1 and 26, commissioned by RMT, asked who should carry out the future London Underground maintenance of track, signals, stations and trains.

Some 76 per cent believed it should be carried out by London Underground, while just 13 per cent believed it should be done by a private company. Six per cent said it didn't matter and six per cent said they did not know.

"This poll result shows that the vast majority of Londoners agree with the people who do the work that Tube maintenance belongs in-house," RMT general secretary Bob Crow said today ahead of this morning's lobby.

"The collapse of Metronet gives us the opportunity to bring the majority of infrastructure work back home into London Underground.

"This is what Tube workers and RMT want, it is what Londoners and their Mayor want, and it remains the only sensible solution," Bob Crow.

Delegates representing six million working people at the Trades Union Congress, which opens in Brighton on September 10, are expected to back calls by Tube unions TSSA and RMT for Tube maintenance to be taken back in-house.

The Congress is expected to initiate a campaign to urge the government to support London Mayor Ken Livingstone's desire for infrastructure work to be taken under direct London Underground control

ends

Notes to editors:

The ICM Omnibus poll of 1,028 Londoners between August 1 and 26, asked:

Do you think that future London Underground maintenance of the track, signals, stations and trains should be carried out by...?

A Private Company: 13%

London Underground itself: 76%

It doesn't matter which of the two does the maintenance 6%

Don't Know: 6%

A full breakdown of respondents is available from the RMT media office

TUC Congress Motion

Motion 42, on the railway industry, from TSSA, includes:

Congress considers the continuing debacle of maintenance undertaken by Metronet on the London Underground under the public-private partnership must be addressed urgently and calls for all the work to be taken back in-house as a priority.

An amendment from RMT would add:

"Metronet's collapse could jeopardise Tube services and London's preparations for the Olympic Games. Congress urges the Government to support the Mayor's desire for infrastructure work to be taken under direct London Underground control and urges the General Council to support an early conference to campaign for this position."

Motions can be read in full at http://www.tuc.org.uk/extras/congress2007finalagenda.pdf