TfL Implements New Scheme for the Upcoming Medical School RAG Weeks
RAG is fundamental to university life, especially to that of medical school. It promotes charity, fosters activism and above all, is a massive dose of fun with a splash of drunken debauchery on the side. Yet the ability to raise money in a fun and free could be under threat.
It is illegal to drink, and thus RAG inebriated, on the London Underground. It is also illegal to raise money for charity on the trains themselves. It is, however, legal to raise money at stations with a permit. TfL are willing to offer these permits for particular stations during agreed times.
Furthermore, they will fast-track these RAG permits, leap-frogging the laboriously long six week acquisition period.
A spokesperson from The London Underground Charities team has said that the scheme was put in place to 'enhance passanger and student safety.' However the scheme has limited RAG applications to one per month in Zone 1 stations only. The application also needs to be approved by both the Dean of the medical school and the Student Union president.
RAG has always been a bother for TfL and the police but the situation worsened last year. A Bart’s student was returned to his university in handcuffs after repeatedly collecting on the Tube. As a result, this year, TfL are leaving action against students to the police’s discretion.
There have also been some reports of drunk students intimidating members of the public. This issue also needs to be addressed by all RAG committees and student unions.
You may have had to sign a ‘student agreement’ when you started medical school that declared your dedication to acting responsibly as a student. That is why even on the most adventurous RAG missions a little common sense is required.
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