LONDON will be hit by a major Tube strike tomorrow that will through the capital into chaos.
Travel carnage is expected as five crucial commuter lines go down for 24 hours starting at 4.30am Friday morning.
Union bosses earlier confirmed the Victoria, Central, Northern, Jubilee and Piccadilly lines are all going to be affected, with RMT drivers urged not to clock on for work tomorrow.
TFL said the strike will result in “little or no” Tube service in many parts of London, with all five lines serving major stations in the heart of Britain’s largest city.
The night tube, which offers vital services overnight, was suspended due to the pandemic last year but had been due to resume this weekend.
However the RMT argues that the workload would “wreck” drivers’ work-life balance, even though TFL insists drivers will work just four night shifts per year.
Read our Tube strike live blog for live updates…
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Christmas chaos
Christmas shoppers will struggle to commute with the strikes set to take place every weekend up until the big day.
Further action has been planned each weekend in the run-up to Christmas on the Central and Victoria lines.
There will also be another five -line 24-hour shutdown on the final Saturday before Christmas.
TfL have called for RMT to call off the strike and enter talks about the staffing requirements of the Night Tube.
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Commuters furious as many will struggle to get to the O2 for Steps
One person affected by the strike had this to say, “Bloody brilliant! Travelling to @TheO2 tomorrow night for @OfficialSteps and there’s a Tubestrike.”
Another said “It’s going to be horrendous getting to @OfficialSteps at London O2 on Friday night.”
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Why is there a strike?
The ongoing dispute is over the night shifts that drivers will be required to work to enable the restart of the Night Tube.
Since the start of the pandemic it has been suspended, but was due to resume overnight on Saturday for the first time.
The Night Tube was ditched in March 2020 so more trains could run during the day to increase social distancing but following the murder of Sarah Everard, thousands signed a petition to bring in back amid concerns of women’s safety.
The RMT claim that the workloads being forced on Tube drivers would wreck their work-life balance by “bulldozing through additional night and weekend working”.
But TfL say that the changes have been agreed by other unions and would bean that drivers have to work four night shifts per year.
It also means that the restart of the Night Tube on the Victoria and Central line would be delayed as drivers have been ordered to not work between 8.30pm on Saturday until 4.30am on Sunday.
TfL hope that the Night Tube will still be able to run but have admitted there are likely to be fewer trains than they hoped.
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Can I get fined for being drunk on public transport?
Drunk and disorderly behaviour extends across all public places in the UK.
Meaning that police can arrest you if they deem you to be creating a public disturbance whilst drunk.
The maximum fine for drunk and disorderly behaviour is £1,000 while you can also be hit with an ASBO (Anti-social behaviour order).
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Commuters not happy with the planned strikes
Many have taken to Twitter to vent their frustration.
One user wrote “can someone solve the tube strikes before they happen pls.”
Whilst another said “I’ve taken a dislike to the tube workers after their threat of strike action.”
Another had this to say “Really hope the tube strike is magically cancelled for tomorrow as I really cba having to get the Overground around London!”
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Stay away from these lines if you can help it
The Victoria, Central, Northern, Jubilee and Piccadilly lines are all going to be affected with RMT drivers being told not to clock in for their shifts from Friday morning.
TfL said the strike would result in “little or no service in places”, with the Waterloo and City line – which uses Central line drivers – also likely to be hit.
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Roads expected to be busier
Buses and local roads are likely to be busier than normal.
Commuters have been urged to allow more time for your journey and consider walking or cycling.
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When was the last strike?
A 24 hour walk out took place on January 8, 2017 and finished on January 9.
Strike action took place in response to the cutting of 900 jobs across the network – with unions saying London Undeground had been turned into “an understaffed death-trap”.
At the time, the RMT said of its decision to press ahead with actiojn: “Our members are out in force across London Underground this morning in the fight for jobs and safety.
“The strike action is being solidly supported on every line, at every station and on picket lines right across the Tube network.
“This action has been forced on us by savage cuts to jobs that have reduced London Underground to an under-staffed death trap at a time of heightened security and safety alert.”
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Advice on travelling around London
Services are likely to be much busier than usual.
Here are some tips from Transport for London (TfL):
- Allow extra time to complete your journey
- Consider walking or cycling, as other lines and services are likely to be busier as people seek alternative routes
- Follow our safer travel guidance throughout the strike
- Check status updates before you travel using our travel tools below
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Thousands of workers face chaos
A tube strike is set to cause commuting chaos in central London from tomorrow as union bosses insist the 24 hour action will take place.
Thousands of workers could find themselves stranded as “no service” is expected on five lines from 4.30am tomorrow.
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Fewer trains than hoped
TfL hope that the Night Tube will still be able to run but have admitted there are likely to be fewer trains than they hoped.
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How much does the night tube cost?
Normal off-peak fairs apply across the service with day travelcards valid until 4.29am the day after purchase.
There is also staff on hand at all stations while the service is in operation to assist passengers.
Additionally TfL has said there is “an enhanced policing presence during the overnight services”, as more than 100 cops have been deployed to patrol the 144 stations that will stay open through the night each weekend.
City Hall believes the Night Tube provides a boost of over £70million a year to London’s economy, as well as supporting approximately 2,000 jobs.
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History of the night tube
The first lines to take on the 24-hour service were the Central and Victoria lines on August 19, 2016.
Central line services run between Ealing Broadway and Loughton/Hainault while the entire Victoria line stays open.
Services were then launched on the Northern line and the Piccadilly line joined the network.
And in July, 2017, it was announced the London Overground, also referred to as the Orange Line, will operate all night on Friday and Saturdays between New Cross Gate and Dalston Junction – with the service to then be extended to Highbury & Islington in 2018.
The Northern line ran a 24-hour from Morden via Camden Town and on to Edgeware/High Barnet with no service on the Bank or Mill Hill East branches.
Piccadilly line ran between Cockfosters and Heathrow Terminal 5 with no services on the Terminal 4 loop or between Uxbridge and Acton Town.
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What is the night tube?
The night tube is the metro in London that runs throughout the night on certain days and lines.
Former Mayor Boris Johnson’s brain child was held back by a year as the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) clashed with TfL over pay and conditions.
But the project took off in 2016 and after a staggered start all five proposed lines are running all-night services for Londoners on the weekends with the London Overground now set to join them.
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Can I get fined for drinking alcohol on the Tube?
According to the Transport for London (TfL) conditions of carriage it is prohibited to carry opened containers of alcohol and to drink alcohol on TfL services.
Clause 2.6 of the TfL Conditions of Carriage says: “On our buses, trams and trains, in our bus and rail stations and on tram platforms, you must not: consume alcohol [or] be in possession of an open container of alcohol.”
Famous rule breakers include the MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, Diane Abbott, who was pictured in April 2019 swigging a £2 Marks & Spencer mojito on an overground train in North London.
On another occasion, a drunk man with no shoes or trousers was spotted sleeping whilst standing up on a London Tube.
Alcohol was banned on the London Underground on June 1, 2008, in one of Boris Johnson’s first policy statements after he became Mayor of London.
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Check before you travel
TFL have confirmed the disruption and have advised the public to ‘check before you travel’.
Tube strikes planned Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria lines.
Friday 26 and Saturday 27 November (plus further strikes planned).
Check your travel.
— Transport for London (@TfL) November 24, 2021
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What should commuters do?
Commuters should check before they leave for their commute to see whether the lines are heavily affected.
Those travelling will be able to use the Official TFL website to check for closures and disruption.
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Little service
Beginning Friday November 26, the Victoria, Central, Northern, Jubilee and Piccadilly line are all going to be affected with RMT drivers being told not to clock in for their shifts.
TfL have confirmed the strike would result in “little or no service in places”, with the Waterloo and City line – which uses Central line drivers – also likely to be hit.
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‘Strike action is needless’
Nick Dent, director of London Underground customer operations, added: “The RMT’s planned strike action is needless and it will threaten London’s recovery from the pandemic, despite no job losses and more flexibility and job certainty for drivers.
“While every other union has agreed to these changes and our staff have been enjoying the benefits of the changes since August, we’re willing to work with the RMT and review the changes after Night Tube services have returned.
“This review can only be successful if the RMT agrees to meet us for talks and withdraws its proposed action so we can all see how these changes will work in practice.
“If the RMT refuses to engage with us and carries out its unnecessary action, which is timed to cause maximum disruption for our customers looking to enjoy London during the festive season, Londoners are advised to check before they travel on days of planned strike action.”
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Are there any other strikes planned?
Further action has been planned each weekend in the run-up to Christmas on the Central and Victoria lines.
There will also be another five -line 24-hour shutdown on the final Saturday before Christmas.
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RMT statement
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “This strike is about the ripping apart of popular and family friendly agreements that helped make the original Night Tube such a success.
“Instead the company want to cut costs and lump all drivers into a pool where they can be kicked from pillar to post at the behest of the management.
“We have made every effort in ACAS and direct talks since the off to resolve this dispute but it is clear that London Underground bosses are driven solely by the bottom line and have no interest whatsoever in the well-being of their staff or the service to passengers.
“This strike action, and its serious consequences in the run up to Christmas, was avoidable if the Tube management hadn’t axed dedicated Night Tube staff and perfectly workable arrangements in order to cut staffing numbers and costs.
“We warned months ago that slashing 200 Night Tube train driver positions would create a staffing nightmare and LU need to start facing up to that reality and soon.
“The union remains available for further talks even at this late stage.”
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What have TFL said?
TfL say that the changes have been agreed by other unions and would be that drivers have to work four night shifts per year.
It also means that the restart of the Night Tube on the Victoria and Central line would be delayed as drivers have been ordered to not work between 8.30pm on Saturday until 4.30am on Sunday.
TfL hope that the Night Tube will still be able to run but have admitted there are likely to be fewer trains than they hoped.
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Why did the night tube stop?
The Night Tube was ditched in March 2020 so more trains could run during the day to increase social distancing at the height of the Covid pandemic.
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Why is the night tube resuming?
Thousands signed a petition in the wake of Sarah Everard’s kidnap, rape and murder by twisted Met cop Wayne Couzens, for the night tube to resume.
Many want the tube service to come back to create a safer way of travelling around London at night.
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Why is the strike taking place?
The ongoing dispute is over the night shifts that drivers will be required to work to enable the restart of the Night Tube.
Since the start of the pandemic it has been suspended, but was due to resume overnight on Saturday for the first time.
The RMT claim that the workloads being forced on Tube drivers would wreck their work-life balance by “bulldozing through additional night and weekend working”.
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