Boris Johnson wants driverless trains

London Mayor Boris Johnson, facing a hard fight for re-election, promised Monday to introduce automatic driverless trains on the Underground. Johnson said automatic trains would "improve journeys, cut delays, drive down costs and keep fares low," The Guardian reported. He said as much as 48 percent of the system could be automated by 2014 with "train captains" substituting for the drivers. Kenneth "Red Ken" Livingstone, a member of the Labor Party who served two terms as mayor before the Conservative Johnson defeated him four years ago, has promised to cut fares by 7 percent if he is returned to office. Johnson said he would also like to see labor laws changed so a "small minority of union members" can no longer trigger a strike. "Our investments in new technology give this city a huge opportunity to modernize the oldest tube system in the world," he said. Union leaders said strikes need at least a simple majority of the members, just as Johnson did when he was elected. The election is May 3.