11:23 م
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Londoners are being urged to leave work early this evening – before a fresh Tube strike brings the city's transport network to a halt.
Members from four unions begin their walkout at 6.30pm, and services on the Underground are not expected to return to normal until Friday morning, with no services running at all tomorrow.
Although 250 extra buses will be laid on, and Overground trains will be running as usual, TfL bosses have warned that all remaining transport links in the capital are likely to be extremely busy.
Additional river services between central London, Canary Wharf and Putney are being planned to ease the strain on commuters, while extra bike hire hubs in seven key locations are planned during peak times.
The walkout is because of a dispute over the pay and conditions being offered to workers for the new "Night Tube" service, which will see a 24-hour operation across some lines on weekends.
Unions have claimed the new timetable was "botched from the off" – and are calling for the planned launch on 12 September to be delayed so negotiations can continue.
RMT leader Mick Cash said: "Staff are striking because they will not accept that their work/life balance should be wrecked to plug the gaping holes in staffing security that should have been dealt with from day one."
However, a spokesperson for Mayor Boris Johnson has insisted there is a "fair, sensible and generous offer on the table" for Tube staff, which would ensure no one is forced to work longer hours than they do at present.
London Underground's chief operating officer, Steve Griffiths, added: "Everyone will still get two days off in seven, and staff will still be able to swap shifts to get the work/life balance they want."
The TUC has warned that Tube bosses "must not ride roughshod over the wellbeing of their employees" – and said staff had the right to expect that any significant changes to working hours would be agreed and not imposed.
Posted in: UK
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