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Sadiq Khan has been urged to reopen ticket offices at Tube stations after staff reported a spike in abuse following the controversial closures.

Underground workers have faced more than 2,000 incidents of abuse - including being verbally abused, spat at and bitten - over the past six months, a new report revealed.

The Transport Salaried Staffs Association said the closure programme, agreed by previous mayor Boris Johnson, should be reversed.

Passengers were said to be regularly frustrated by ticket machines and blamed problems on staff who have been moved from ticket offices to station concourses.

The union, which has 1,600 members on the Tube, threatened a ballot over industrial action if the issue is not tackled.

Most of its members asked said they felt less safe than before the changes.

They reported increased levels of stress and feeling vulnerable because of the abuse they faced, while many said passengers are now more likely to attempt to avoid paying to travel.

TSSA general secretary Manuel Cortes said: "Our survey has uncovered some terrible stories which are indicative of a system in complete crisis.

"Our members' mental health is suffering and the imposition of new shift lengths are adversely affecting their work-life balance across the board.

"I have written to mayor Sadiq Khan asking him to intervene immediately to undo these savage cuts to the service rushed through in the dying days of Boris Johnson's regime.

"I hope our Labour mayor will use his power to immediately reopen the ticket offices and begin to re-establish the Tube as a safe working - and travelling - space."

Last month, Mr Khan ordered London’s transport watchdog to investigate the closures.

A six-week review was launched on September 12 to look at the impact of the closures on passengers.

Steve Griffiths, TfL’s chief operating officer for London Underground, said: "Our staff work hard to serve the millions of customers that pass through the Tube and rail network every day.

"Everyone has the right to go about their work without fear or intimidation and we do not tolerate any form of verbal or physical assault on our staff.

"Our campaign against workplace violence sends a clear message that any assault on staff will be fully investigated and we work closely with the British Transport Police to bring perpetrators to justice. If you ever witness an assault on a station staff member, you should report it immediately so that we can all work together to maintain a safe transport network.”