Tube strike causing travel misery in London

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union and Unite are involved in a long-running dispute over jobs and pensions.

A strike by London Underground workers is causing travel chaos with many services closed (Jonathan Brady/PA) (PA Wire)

A strike by transport workers in London is causing travel chaos with many services closed.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union and Unite are involved in a long-running dispute over jobs and pensions.

Nine out of 11 London Underground lines were shut down on Thursday morning, according to Transport for London’s (TfL) website.

The Central and Northern lines were partially open, with trains running on a small section of their normal routes.

The London Overground and Docklands Light Railway (DLR) were also suspended.

Some commuters were turned away from packed buses as people sought alternative forms of transport.

But location technology firm TomTom said there was little change in traffic on London’s roads on Thursday morning compared with a week ago.

The congestion level at 8am was 106%, which was unchanged from the same time on Thursday November 3.

At 9am the level was 105%, up from 104% last week.

The figures reflect the proportion of additional time required for journeys compared with free-flow conditions.

TomTom traffic expert Andy Marchant said: “Those brave enough to face the road today might be slightly surprised by the level of traffic, as congestion levels during this morning’s rush hour increased only slightly.

“Our data suggests that workers are beginning to become accustomed to disruption and are planning their commute accordingly or choosing to stay at home altogether, heeding the advice to avoid any unnecessary travel.”

Picket lines were mounted outside Tube stations across the capital.

The RMT said it offered to suspend the strike during talks, but accused TfL of rejecting its proposals.

TfL’s chief operating officer, Glynn Barton, said no proposals to change pensions or conditions have been made.

TfL’s recent funding agreement with the Government requires it to develop options around pensions, but the organisation said if changes are to be made, there will be consultations and further work before any decisions are taken.

The RMT said it has asked TfL to pause any job cuts and pension changes to give both sides time to negotiate a deal.

TfL must stop behaving like a race-to-the-bottom employer and put forward an offer that is acceptable to our members

Sharon Graham, Unite

Assistant general secretary John Leach called on transport bosses to “stand by” their staff.

He told the PA news agency outside King’s Cross St Pancras station: “My message to TfL now is stand by your staff, listen to your staff, thousands of them are on strike today for the sixth time this year.

“They’re losing lots of money, don’t they realise in management there’s a serious problem here? What they need to do is stand with their staff.

“The Mayor of London needs to stand up for staff and do a proper finance deal which gives TfL money it needs to keep the capital city moving, and not trade off the staff pension, jobs and their conditions of employment for some bad deal, which is what they have done.”

More than 1,000 Unite members are on strike.

The union’s general secretary, Sharon Graham, said: “TfL is needlessly attacking our members’ pay and pensions, which Unite simply can’t accept. The workers have the full support of their union in fighting these attacks.

“TfL must stop behaving like a race-to-the-bottom employer and put forward an offer that is acceptable to our members.”

The Unite members are employed at London Underground, Compliance, Policing, Operations & Security, Victoria Coach Station, Network Management Control Centre, Croydon Trams engineering, Dial-A-Ride and Surface Operations.

Unite regional officer Simon McCartney said: “There is absolutely no need for TfL to press ahead with these attacks. The pension scheme is financially viable and in credit and the savings TfL were forced to make have already been found elsewhere. It is high time London’s Labour mayor, Sadiq Khan, intervened.”