Assembly Member Calls Tube Strike "Bonkers"


Thanking "the 6,387 RMT and TSSA members who ignored their militant union"

In response to this week’s double strike action by the RMT and TSSA unions, Richard Tracey, Conservative London Assembly Member for Wandsworth and Merton, said:
“It’s bonkers these strikes are going ahead even though there won’t be any compulsory redundancies. In fact, in just the last three weeks, hundreds of staff have already volunteered to leave and over a thousand have formally requested details of severance packages.

" London Underground staff are there to serve the public, so why should they be hidden away inside outdated and underused ticket offices? The system is broken and it’s time the Government replaced public transport strikes with independent mediation. Until then, greedy union bosses will carry on blocking progress even though their members get handsome pay, gold plated pensions and free travel for flatmates just to do their job. I’d like to thank the 6,387 RMT and TSSA members who ignored their militant union bosses and refused to vote for these ridiculous strikes. To all tube workers, even the few of you who voted for industrial action, do the decent thing, break these pointless strikes, and turn up to work as usual.”

London Underground says it's operating services on eight out of 11 lines despite what it says is a "completely unnecessary" walkout over ticket office closures. Unions claim fewer than a third of normal trains are running.

LU is consulting with trade unions and staff over the closure of ticket offices and the introduction of a 24 hour weekend service on some lines.

Two 48-hour strikes have been called at LU which will affect services from:

  • Around 9.30pm on Tuesday 4 February until the morning of Friday 7 February; and,
  • Around 9.30pm on Tuesday 11 February until the morning of Friday 14 February.

TfL urges all customers to plan ahead and to check before they travel at tfl.gov.uk and by following @TfLTravelAlerts, @TfLTrafficNews and @TfLBusAlerts on Twitter.

 Tube services which LU intend to run:

District line

@districtline

They intend to run trains:
  • between Upminster and Wimbledon around every eight minutes in both directions
  • between Ealing Broadway and High Street Kensington around every 20 minutes in both directions.

These trains would not stop at Aldgate East, Becontree, Blackfriars, Bromley-by-Bow, Dagenham East, Dagenham Heathway, East Ham, Elm Park, Gloucester Road, Hornchurch, Plaistow, Sloane Square, Stepney Green, Temple, Upminster Bridge, Upney or Upton Park stations.

Piccadilly line

@piccadillyline

No service would operate through the central area. They intend to run trains between Acton Town and Heathrow Terminals 1,2,3 around every ten minutes in both directions, and between Arnos Grove and Cockfosters around every ten minutes in both directions. 

These trains would not stop at Heathrow Terminal 4 or Southgate stations.

Central line

@centralline

No service would operate through the central area.  They intend to run trains:
  • between Epping and Leytonstone around every 12 minutes in both directions.
  • between Theyst Ruislip and White City around every 15 minutes in both directions.

Hammersmith & City line

@hamandcityline

They intend to run trains between Hammersmith and Moorgate around every ten minutes in both directions. These trains would not stop at Barbican, Euston Square and Great Portland Street stations.

Circle line

@circleline

See District line, Hammersmith & City line and Metropolitan line below.
London Overground

A normal service will operate. Some stations where there is an interchange with London Underground may be affected.

Bakerloo line

@bakerlooline

They intend to run trains between Queen's Park and Elephant & Castle around every six minutes in both directions.

These trains would not stop at Edgware Road, Embankment, Kilburn Park, Lambeth North, Maida Vale, Piccadilly Circus or Regent's Park stations.

Jubilee line

@jubileeline

They intend to run trains: 
  • between Stanmore and Finchley Road around every five minutes in both directions
  • between Waterloo and Stratford around every five minutes in both directions.

These trains would not stop at Bermondsey and Southwark stations.

Metropolitan line

@metline

They intend to run trains between Harrow-on-the-Hill and Aldgate around every ten minutes in both directions. These trains would not stop at Barbican, Euston Square, Great Portland Street, Northwick Park and Preston Road stations.

Northern line

@northernline

They intend to run trains over the whole line (except to Mill Hill East), with a train around every five minutes via both the Bank and Charing Cross branches in both directions.

These trains would not stop at Borough, Chalk Farm, Clapham North, Clapham South, Colliers Wood, Embankment, Goodge Street, Hampstead, Highgate, Leicester Square, Mornington Crescent, Old Street, Oval, South Wimbledon, Tooting Bec, Tufnell Park and Warren Street stations.

Victoria line

@victorialine

They intend to run trains between Seven Sisters and Victoria around every five minutes in both directions. 

These trains would not stop at Warren Street station.

Waterloo & City line

@wlooandcityline

No service.

February 5, 2014