Workers on London Underground are facing increasing levels of verbal abuse and threats of violence from passengers after telling them that Tube stations are closed, a union is warning.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) said passengers are taking out their frustration on staff, leaving some having to take stress-related sick leave.

The union claimed that Tube stations regularly have to close because of staff shortages caused by spending cuts.

There have been around 130 Tube station closures since the start of April, said the RMT.

One Tube worker said: “Staff are vulnerable when they have to inform the public a station is closed. I have been threatened with violence and verbally abused.

“There are colleagues who are suffering from poor mental health as a result of their treatment.

“And some of them are having to take long periods of sick leave which only adds to the already dire staffing situation.”

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “The cuts to Tube staff are creating chronic shortages across the network leading to unprecedented station closures.

“Frustration among the travelling public has boiled over in some cases to nasty threats of violence and verbal abuse of our members, something RMT will not tolerate.

“If things do not improve, our members run the real risk of being seriously physically assaulted at work.

“The responsibility for the staff shortages lies with government budget cuts to Transport for London and the London Mayor who is refusing to stand up to ministers suffocating the capital’s transport finances.”