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Launch of 24-hour underground service, due on 12 September, deferred as talks between transport chiefs and unions continue
The launch of 24-hour services on the London Underground has been suspended while tube bosses and unions attempt to resolve disputes over how to staff it.
The “night tube” was due to launch on 12 September, but staff were angered by new rosters and concerns over shift patterns, work-life balance and the viability of running the service.
Transport for London said it still hoped to launch the night tube in autumn. It hopes the deferment will allow for the successful conclusion of talks with the four tube unions, who have twice taken industrial action this summer.
The move will raise hopes that two planned strikes by the RMT, set to start on the evenings of 8 and 10 September, will be called off, although the union insisted that the strikes were still set to go ahead.
TfL says the night tube, which would see trains running throughout the night on Fridays and Saturdays on five major lines through the city centre, will cut journey times of those now reliant on night buses by an average of 20 minutes and boost the capital’s economy by £360m. Unions say they do not oppose the launch in principle, but that staff face unfair demands and the wider system would be affected.
The London Underground managing director, Nick Brown, said: “Further to the progress made in recent days with the trade unions and the suspension of strike action, we believe we are not far from an agreement that protects the work-life balance of our employees and is affordable, sustainable and fair.
“As such, we have decided to defer the introduction of night tube to allow more time for those talks to conclude. Our objective is to reach an agreement that ends this dispute and delivers the night tube for Londoners this autumn.”
Mick Cash, the RMT’s general secretary, said it was a welcome move but that industrial action was still scheduled for early September. He said: “We warned repeatedly that it would be dangerous and foolish to press ahead with bodged night tube plans until the very basics in terms of staffing and safety had been agreed with the unions through the long-established frameworks.
“This move by TFL proves that our members were right to strike and were right to warn the public about the consequences of the mad rush to introduce the mayor’s night tube plans without agreement.”
Aslef, the train drivers’ union, welcomed the move. Mick Whelan, general secretary, said “common sense had broken out”. He added: “Aslef believes that a world-class capital city like London needs a 24-hour tube service, but not at the expense of the work-life balance of our members. It has to be done in a way that works for London Underground, for passengers, and also for the drivers who deliver this service every day.”
The night tube is planned to run on the main sections of the Central, Piccadilly and Northern lines, and on the whole of the Jubilee and Victoria lines.
The “night tube” was due to launch on 12 September, but staff were angered by new rosters and concerns over shift patterns, work-life balance and the viability of running the service.
Transport for London said it still hoped to launch the night tube in autumn. It hopes the deferment will allow for the successful conclusion of talks with the four tube unions, who have twice taken industrial action this summer.
The move will raise hopes that two planned strikes by the RMT, set to start on the evenings of 8 and 10 September, will be called off, although the union insisted that the strikes were still set to go ahead.
TfL says the night tube, which would see trains running throughout the night on Fridays and Saturdays on five major lines through the city centre, will cut journey times of those now reliant on night buses by an average of 20 minutes and boost the capital’s economy by £360m. Unions say they do not oppose the launch in principle, but that staff face unfair demands and the wider system would be affected.
The London Underground managing director, Nick Brown, said: “Further to the progress made in recent days with the trade unions and the suspension of strike action, we believe we are not far from an agreement that protects the work-life balance of our employees and is affordable, sustainable and fair.
“As such, we have decided to defer the introduction of night tube to allow more time for those talks to conclude. Our objective is to reach an agreement that ends this dispute and delivers the night tube for Londoners this autumn.”
Mick Cash, the RMT’s general secretary, said it was a welcome move but that industrial action was still scheduled for early September. He said: “We warned repeatedly that it would be dangerous and foolish to press ahead with bodged night tube plans until the very basics in terms of staffing and safety had been agreed with the unions through the long-established frameworks.
“This move by TFL proves that our members were right to strike and were right to warn the public about the consequences of the mad rush to introduce the mayor’s night tube plans without agreement.”
Aslef, the train drivers’ union, welcomed the move. Mick Whelan, general secretary, said “common sense had broken out”. He added: “Aslef believes that a world-class capital city like London needs a 24-hour tube service, but not at the expense of the work-life balance of our members. It has to be done in a way that works for London Underground, for passengers, and also for the drivers who deliver this service every day.”
The night tube is planned to run on the main sections of the Central, Piccadilly and Northern lines, and on the whole of the Jubilee and Victoria lines.
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