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The RMT union, which represents some London Underground workers, is planning strike action on the tube every weekend from tomorrow (Friday January 7) until mid June. These strikes will take place from 8.30pm every Friday and Saturday night until 4.30am the next morning, which is better than during rush hours, but is not good news for late-night transport.
The strikes will affect the Central and Victoria lines, causing disruptions from 7pm on Fridays and Saturdays, with those lines likely to be running irregularly until late morning on Saturdays and Sundays. Currently the Central and Victoria lines are the only parts of the Night Tube that are running, so this industrial action means there will be no overnight service on the tube at all (although the Night Overground continues to operate).
TFL says other lines will function as usual but may be busier as passengers seek alternative routes. However, the RMT is considering extending the strike to other lines if its requests are not met.
There are other changes to the tube coming soon too. In July last year it was announced that, from January 15 to mid-May, there will be no service on the Northern line Bank branch between Kennington and Moorgate, and fewer trains between Camden Town and Moorgate, in order to install new tunnels and a new platform at Bank station.
To mitigate the disruption caused by this, TfL will be reducing the wait time between trains on the Charing Cross Northern line branch, and a new temporary bus route, the 733, will run from Oval to Finsbury Square on weekdays.
Ghost town: London’s tube has been extremely empty lately.
Did you even notice that 41 London bus routes were cut this year?