TODAY: Londoners urged to work from home as tube strike is affecting ALL lines
Transport for London (TfL) has urged commuters to plan ahead of today and Thursday’s Tube strikes, which will affect all lines.
The public body has advised Londoners to work from home if they can or rely on alternative means of transport, as the strikes are expected to create major disruption across the whole TfL network.
“I would ask anyone who needs to use the Tube on 1 and 3 March to check before they make their journey, consider whether they are able to work from home and use alternative modes of transport where possible,” said TfL’s chief operating officer Andy Lord.
“I apologise to customers for this and understand they will be frustrated by this strike action, but urge them not to take it out on those who are trying to help.”
The strikes have been staged by the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) over pensions, jobs and working conditions, despite TfL’s reassurance that no jobs will be lost and pensions and terms of conditions will remain unchanged.
“We know our customers deserve better than this and that is why we’re urging the RMT to talk to us so we can find a resolution to this dispute and call off this action, which is threatening London’s recovery from the pandemic,” Lord added.
In response, the RMT called on mayor Sadiq Khan not to “turn his back on tube workers by siding with a government he know is wrong over pensions and cuts.”
“The mayor can help us solve this dispute by agreeing to talks that fully address the concerns of his own workforce,” said RMT’s general secretary Mick Lynch. “For the good of his workers and London’s economic recovery, Sadiq Khan needs to stand firm against the government, stop the pensions raid and end the job massacre.”
Funding deal
The latest round of strikes come a few days after the government agreed to extend TfL funding until 24 June, providing the public body with £200m, City PM reported.
According to commissioner Andy Byford, while the extension is welcome, the government and TfL still need to agree to a longer funding plan, if TfL is to save itself from a £1.5bn black hole.
“It is essential that agreement is reached with government on longer term capital support during this funding period,” he said on Friday. “This is crucial for the coming years if a period of the ‘managed decline’ of London’s transport network is to be avoided.”