London Tube strike – latest: Victoria and Jubilee among lines disrupted during Friday rush hour
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Your support makes all the difference.Five Tube lines will be severely affected this morning by strike action taken by London Underground (LU) workers.
Transport for London (TfL) said the Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria lines will be severely disrupted for 24 hours from 4.30am on Friday.
Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) members are also planning to strike on six other nights: this Saturday (27 November), and on Friday 3 December, Saturday 4, Friday 10, Saturday 11, and Friday 17.
As the strikes cross into Friday evening rush hour, only 58 per cent of the regularly scheduled service is running, Andy Lord, managing director of London Underground confirmed.
The Mayor of London said the strike action came at the “worst possible time” as shoppers attempted to attend Black Friday sales and Londoners anticipated the return of the Night Tube. Sadiq Khan urged RMT to return to negotiations after accusing the union of refusing to meet TfL for crunch talks yesterday.
The RMT has said that LU has abolished 200 Tube driver positions and has imposed “unacceptable and intolerable” new rotas on existing drivers to cover Night Tube services. The union says this would “wreck the work-life balance” of members.
‘Little to no service’ expected on the Night Tube, TfL says
The Night Tube planned to restart today after a year without service due to the pandemic, however ongoing strike action means there will be “little to no service” expected tonight, a TfL spokesperson told ITV.
Campaigns in recent months urged TfL to resume the Night Tube to provide safer night transport amid incidents of violence against women and girls.
Travel update: Piccadilly Line now suspended
The Piccadilly Line is now completely suspended after running a limited service earlier in the day. The Waterloo and City Line remains suspended while limited services continue on the Victoria, Northern, Jubilee, Hammersmith and City and Central lines.
The Circle line continues to face severe delays.
Union bosses hit out at Sadiq Khan
The general secretary of the Communication Workers Union has slammed the Mayor of London, accusing him of not backing workers who are being “mistreated.”
Responding to Sadiq Khan’s tweet urging RMT to return to the negotiation table, Dave Ward said: “I’ll tell you what’s unnecessary - a Labour Mayor not showing solidarity with workers who are being mistreated. Nobody votes for and then takes strike action unless it’s a last resort.”
Travel Update: Hammersmith and City Line faces severe delays
The Hammersmith and City Line is the latest service to face severe delays amid strikes. According to TfL, cancelled trains has led to delays on the line.
Severe delays continue on the Circle line. With rush hour due to begin again later this afternoon, passengers can expect more delays through the evening.
Travel Update: Central line now running to Liverpool Street
The Central Line is now running a shuttle service from Liverpool Street to Hainault and Epping.
It is also running a partial service between White City and Ealing Broadway, Woodford and Hainault, and West Ruislip and North Acton.
There is no service on the rest of the line due to strike action by the RMT.
“Valid tickets being accepted on local buses, London Overground, DLR, and Network Rail,” Transport for London said.
Uber prices may surge 150 per cent due to Tube strikes
Uber prices could surge by up to 150 per cent amid Tube strikes, research by Essential Living has said.
According to the research, the average price of 3km journey in London is £6.61 but when it comes to surge charging it can cost up to £16.56. The study also found that riders requesting luxury cars can pay up to 88 per cent more during surges.
London to Scotland rail closures bring further travel misery
Compounding the Tube disruption is the approaching Storm Arwen, which has prompted police and rail companies to warn against travel this weekend.
Train operator London North Eastern Railway has issued a “do not travel” alert to customers as its services will be “significantly disrupted due to severe weather“ until Sunday.
The firm runs trains on the East Coast Main Line between London and Scotland, calling at stations including Leeds, York, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Aberdeen.
Network Rail will close the East Coast route north of Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, from 5pm on Friday.
Passengers are being warned further closures could be imposed elsewhere on the route.
Warrick Dent, LNER safety and operations director, said: “We are encouraging our customers with tickets dated for today, November 26, and this coming weekend to defer their travel arrangements where possible.
“We expect services to be extremely busy throughout the weekend and advise customers to check our website and social channels for the latest information.”
Tube strike causing ‘nightmare’ for travellers
The Tube strikes are causing some to have “nightmare” journeys across London this evening.
One person wrote: “Tube strikes + Black Friday + trying to get to Bournemouth = an actual nightmare.”
Another appealed for leniency from train company LNER on Twitter: “Because of the tube strike it’s looking like we will miss our LNER are we able to get another train?”
For others, poor Covid etiquette added to their woes: “A tube crammed full of people due to strikes and considerably less than half are not wearing masks, fun times...”
‘Luckily the Jubilee line has a glass wall for safety’
Joe Swaffham, 36, who commutes from North Greenwich to Moorgate to work for a maintenance firm, said his journey took twice as long and made him 45 minutes late for work today.
“Commuters were being less forgiving when trying to get on trains and I got pushed two-throw down the platform - luckily the Jubilee line has a glass wall for safety,” he told Reuters.
“But I think the train workers shouldn’t have to be forced into hours they didn’t sign up for,” he added.
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