LOCAL COMMUTERS FACE MAJOR DISRUPTION AS TUBE STRIKE GOES AHEAD
Local commuters who rely on Tube services from Richmond station face massive disruption next week as a planned strike over pay and working hours by the RMT rail union will go ahead from Sunday.
Transport For London (TfL) has warned there could be “little or no service” between Sunday and next Friday morning across the London network.
Nick Dent, TfL’s director of London Underground customer operations, said this afternoon: “As things stand, the strike is on, unfortunately.”
He appealed to the RMT leadership to suspend the strike and give the union’s 10,400 London Underground members the chance to vote on whether to accept a 3.4 per cent pay offer.
“We are absolutely available and would welcome further talks,” Mr Dent said.
“We would ask the RMT to suspend the action. Even if the industrial action starts, we are available for talks.
“We completely understand our customers’ concerns about this industrial action.
“It will be very disruptive if it goes ahead. There is still time for the RMT to call it off. Our door is open for talks.”
Timeline:
- Friday, 5 and Saturday, 6 September – No impact expected.
- Sunday, 7 September – Limited Tube services, closing early. All journeys should be completed by 6pm.
- Monday, 8 to Thursday, 11 September – Little or no service on the Underground. Any trains that do run will start after 8am.
- Tuesday, 9 and Thursday, 11 September – No service on the DLR.
- Friday, 12 September – No service before 8am, with a good service expected by late morning.
Other services, including the Elizabeth line, London Overground and London Trams, are expected to run but will be extremely busy.
Bus routes may also face disruption due to separate strike action by First Bus from 11–14 September, affecting parts of west, north west and south west London.
Claire Mann, TfL’s Chief Operating Officer, said: “We are disappointed that the RMT union has announced strike action.
“We have made a fair and affordable pay offer of 3.4 per cent, in line with agreements across the rail industry.
“We urge the RMT to call off this action, which will only disrupt Londoners.”