Night Tube users will be hit by severe disruption this weekend as drivers go on strike AGAIN in row over rotas
- Londoners have been warned of ‘severe disruption’ coming to the Night Tube
- RMT union members will walk out for eight hours on Friday and Saturday nights
- The Central and Victoria lines will be affected by the industrial action
- Union claims TfL ‘ripped up’ an agreement on working night services
Londoners have been warned of ‘severe disruption’ to the Night Tube this weekend as drivers stage a second round of strikes in a row over rotas.
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union will walk out for eight hours from Friday and Saturday evenings on the Central and Victoria lines, where the Night Tube is due to run.
The weekend overnight service, introduced in 2016, was suspended last year because of the pandemic and resumed last weekend, although it was disrupted by industrial action.
The union claims Transport for London has ‘ripped up’ an agreement on drivers being allowed to choose whether to work on night services.
Further strikes are planned in the run-up to Christmas.
TfL said drivers will only work four nights a year, adding that new rosters have been agreed by other unions.
Commuters are pictured on the Jubilee line on the London Underground this morning
New Year’s Eve revellers will not get their festive free trip home on the Tube amid a financial crisis at Transport for London.
TfL said it would have to charge for late night trips between December 31 and January 1 because of the ‘catastrophic impact of the pandemic’.
Typically, since the year 2000, the London Underground has been free between 11.45pm and 4.30am on New Year’s, brought about by a sponsor who could cover the cost, but no sponsor could be found this year, the Evening Standard reports.
The Tube will still run through the night, but passengers will have to pay – making this the second year of no free travel.
It was revealed earlier this week that the Bakerloo line could be under threat of permanent closure as Sadiq Khan looks to plug a £1.9billion funding gap.
The Mayor of London suggested Underground services could be cut by 10 percent is a new cash injection is not brought about by the Government, and TfL finance chief Simon Kilonback said one line could be closed entirely.
TfL has now said: ‘Following the catastrophic impact of the pandemic on TfL’s finances, TfL unfortunately will not be able to offer free travel on New Year’s Eve.
‘Services on the transport network will run through the night, ensuring that people can enjoy everything London has to offer and get home safely.’
Nick Dent, London Underground’s director of customer operations, said: ‘We’re urging Night Tube customers to check before they travel this weekend ahead of more disruptive RMT strike action on the Central and Victoria lines.
‘While I’m pleased we managed to run a safe and regular service on the Night Tube last weekend despite strike action, there is still a chance of severe disruption this weekend and up to Christmas.
‘We’ve been in talks with the RMT for months to try and avoid this needless strike action.
‘I apologise to customers for the disruption they may face and urge the RMT to continue talks with us, rather than threatening London with further strikes at a crucial time for its recovery.’
It comes amid news that New Year’s Eve revellers will not get their festive free trip home on the Tube this year.
TfL said it would have to charge for late night trips between December 31 and January 1 because of the ‘catastrophic impact of the pandemic’.
The Tube is still set to run through the night, but passengers will have to pay.
TfL has now said: ‘Following the catastrophic impact of the pandemic on TfL’s finances, TfL unfortunately will not be able to offer free travel on New Year’s Eve.
‘Services on the transport network will run through the night, ensuring that people can enjoy everything London has to offer and get home safely.’
It was also revealed today that TfL fined more than 150 passengers for not wearing a mask on the first day new Covid laws came into effect.
Staff dished out 152 fixed penalty notices to customers across its services in the capital on Tuesday – and had to remind more than 5,000 people to put on face coverings on its Tubes, buses, rail, DLR and trams.
Meanwhile over 100 passengers had to be booted off TfL services and a further 127 were stopped from getting on.
It had been TfL policy for riders to wear a face covering before Tuesday, but the government’s new laws meant people can now be prosecuted for it.
Despite the apparent crackdown on rulebreakers, pictures from the London Underground show streams of maskless travellers.
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