Mayor slams 'pointless' strikes as Tube disruption looms

The threat of fresh travel disruption caused by industrial action in London escalated today as the capital's Mayor called for an end to "pointless" strikes.

The Rail Maritime and Transport union announced that its members on the Docklands Light Railway will walk out for 48 hours from 03.59 next Thursday (January 20) in a series of rows including jobs, pensions and hours.

The news came ahead of a 24-hour strike on the Bakerloo and Northern Lines from 21.00 tonight in separate disputes over two drivers.

LU condemned the strike and said it would run Tube services despite the action.

Meanwhile, London Mayor Boris Johnson, who has attacked the recent wave of Tube strikes, revealed that automatic trains have been tested on parts of London Underground.

In a speech in London last night, he said most of the Jubilee Line currently operates under automatic train operation - from Stratford to Neasden - adding: "In other words the driving of the train is done by computer rather than manually

"Of course there will still need to be someone aboard the train, but thanks to the advanced signalling being installed it is also a fact that anyone in this room could in a matter of a few weeks acquire the qualifications necessary to supervise an underground train.

"The huge potential implications of that change will be obvious to everyone, and so I say to our colleagues in the trades union leadership that I respect and understand the vital role of unions in a free society to secure the best terms and conditions for their members, but I hope they will recognise that the patience of Londoners is not endless."

"They should abandon the recent pattern of pointless strikes."

Union leaders said the Mayor appeared to be threatening to run driverless trains on the Tube, as happens on the DLR.

RMT leader Bob Crow said: "Boris Johnson's comments show that he has complete and utter contempt for the tens of thousands of staff who ensure safe transport for millions of Londoners every day of the week.

"It is clear that he is now planning to sack thousands of tube drivers and that act of provocation will be met with fierce resistance across the network."

LU said it expected tonight's strike will have no effect on passenger services on the Northern line, but it warned of "significant disruption" on the Bakerloo line.

Howard Collins, LU's chief operating officer, said: "It is absolutely outrageous for the RMT to threaten further strike action in support of these drivers, one of whom was dismissed for a serious breach of safety rules, and the other for unacceptable and abusive behaviour towards his colleagues.

"The union leadership failed in its attempt to gain support for the strike from Northern Line staff. Less than 20% of those balloted voted for strike action, and on the Bakerloo Line only one in three of those balloted voted to strike.

"For the RMT leadership to try to disrupt Londoners in this way shows a disregard for Tube passengers and contempt for their own ballot process. We will once again seek to operate the best service possible.

"The last Northern Line strike had no effect and we managed to keep a service running on parts of the Bakerloo Line despite the action there. The RMT leadership should stop threatening Londoners with strike action and let our staff get on with their job of keeping the capital moving."

A dispute over 800 job losses on the Tube, which led to a series of strikes last year, remains unresolved.