A TUBE driver who campaigns for equal rights for female workers has spoken of her surprise and delight at being awarded an honorary MBE.

Hanne Bingle, 50, of Gosport Road, Walthamstow, who has been a tube driver on the Victoria Line since 2001, was granted the honour for services to equality and public transport.

Mrs Bingle, a Danish national who moved to England 25 years ago, said: “I was absolutely speechless when I found out, which is unusual for me.”

Grandmother Mrs Bingle has campaigned on equality issues, including the right to childcare vouchers for parents.

She has been an active member of Transport for London's women's group network and promotes equality issues through the international Women's Transportation Seminar.

Mrs Bingle said: “I speak to women and try and get them to see the possibility of going places and not to feel intimidated.

“People are being made aware, the Tube is a masculine environment in that only one in ten drivers are female, but it is not like it used to be.

“Female workers don't feel uncomfortable going into the canteen areas for instance.”

Mrs Bingle, said the job of tube driver is not as easy as some say.

She said: “It can be very challenging, you never know what is going to happen from day to day.

“When people faint on a busy train, it is you, as the driver that people look to.”

Mrs Bingle, whose husband Ian is also a tube driver, has never experienced every driver's “worst nightmare”, a person under her train, but had a close call a few years ago.

She said: “I was coming out of Victoria station southbound, when I saw a man who had been urinating in the tunnel climb back on the platform just in time to avoid the train, it shook me up.”

Mrs Bingle said she enjoys her work and the friendly attitude of both the Tube drivers and the people of London.

She was impressed by the bravery and defiance shown by staff and public following the terrorist attacks of July 7, 2005.

She said: “Everybody came to work the following day, determined not to let the people who did this win, I was very proud.”