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| Version 29 | Version 30 |
|---|---|
| Travel chaos for Tube passengers | Travel chaos for Tube passengers |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Millions of people have been hit by travel disruption during a 48-hour strike by Tube staff in London. | Millions of people have been hit by travel disruption during a 48-hour strike by Tube staff in London. |
| The strike began at 1859 BST on Tuesday after talks broke down between London Underground bosses and the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union. | The strike began at 1859 BST on Tuesday after talks broke down between London Underground bosses and the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union. |
| Nine lines are affected by the industrial action, although there is said to be a normal service on the Northern and Jubilee lines. | Nine lines are affected by the industrial action, although there is said to be a normal service on the Northern and Jubilee lines. |
| Docklands Light Railway and London Overground are operating as normal. | Docklands Light Railway and London Overground are operating as normal. |
| Some train stations have been inundated with extra passengers, with Clapham Junction severely overcrowded and hundreds of people queuing on to the street. | Some train stations have been inundated with extra passengers, with Clapham Junction severely overcrowded and hundreds of people queuing on to the street. |
| Extra traffic on London's roads has also seen gridlock in some parts, with buses struggling to stick to normal timetables. | Extra traffic on London's roads has also seen gridlock in some parts, with buses struggling to stick to normal timetables. |
| Map of extra services | Map of extra services |
| Ten hours of negotiations on Tuesday failed to bring about a deal between the RMT and Transport for London (TfL). | Ten hours of negotiations on Tuesday failed to bring about a deal between the RMT and Transport for London (TfL). |
| In an open letter, RMT leader Bob Crow accused London's mayor Boris Johnson of "playing politics" over the Tube to further his own agenda. | |
| The dispute is over pay, jobs and disciplinary issues. | The dispute is over pay, jobs and disciplinary issues. |
| London mayor Boris Johnson, who joined commuters at a river ferry at Westminster, told the BBC's Today programme that the RMT's leader Bob Crow had walked away from an excellent deal. | London mayor Boris Johnson, who joined commuters at a river ferry at Westminster, told the BBC's Today programme that the RMT's leader Bob Crow had walked away from an excellent deal. |
| FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME href="/1/hi/england/london/8093623.stm">Bob Crow's open letter to the mayor | |
| He said the two sides were "within a whisker" of reaching an agreement and that it was "absolutely crazy" to go ahead with the strike. | He said the two sides were "within a whisker" of reaching an agreement and that it was "absolutely crazy" to go ahead with the strike. |
| "Given that Londoners are enduring a partial, very, very irritating, unnecessary and misery-making Tube strike, I think he should send his negotiators back to the table where he will find a very good deal. | "Given that Londoners are enduring a partial, very, very irritating, unnecessary and misery-making Tube strike, I think he should send his negotiators back to the table where he will find a very good deal. |
| "It's absolutely essential in my view that people of goodwill get round the negotiating table in the next few hours. | "It's absolutely essential in my view that people of goodwill get round the negotiating table in the next few hours. |
| "Some services are, in fact, running this morning - which I think underlines the fragility of the strike." | "Some services are, in fact, running this morning - which I think underlines the fragility of the strike." |
| However, Mr Crow, who joined a picket line outside Seven Sisters Tube station in north London, told Today that any possible deal had been scuppered by management. | However, Mr Crow, who joined a picket line outside Seven Sisters Tube station in north London, told Today that any possible deal had been scuppered by management. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY History has shown, time after time, that strikes and militancy get workers nowhere Dan Damon, Esher Send us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAY History has shown, time after time, that strikes and militancy get workers nowhere Dan Damon, Esher Send us your comments |
| He said: "Acas officials went off to get the document typed up and by the time they came back the Underground management had reneged on it. | He said: "Acas officials went off to get the document typed up and by the time they came back the Underground management had reneged on it. |
| "The whole thing stinks of last-minute sabotage and the RMT believes that must have come from the very top, and the finger is pointing at Boris Johnson and transport commissioner Peter Hendy. | "The whole thing stinks of last-minute sabotage and the RMT believes that must have come from the very top, and the finger is pointing at Boris Johnson and transport commissioner Peter Hendy. |
| "Johnson needs to stop the political grandstanding and meet direct with RMT to settle the pay, jobs and bullying issues at the heart of this strike." | "Johnson needs to stop the political grandstanding and meet direct with RMT to settle the pay, jobs and bullying issues at the heart of this strike." |
| Meanwhile, TfL said about 100 extra buses had been made available and a free river shuttle service was also on offer. | Meanwhile, TfL said about 100 extra buses had been made available and a free river shuttle service was also on offer. |
| Escorts are also leading cyclists across the capital and extra parking is in place for bicycles, while TfL has introduced a taxi-sharing scheme at all major railway stations. | Escorts are also leading cyclists across the capital and extra parking is in place for bicycles, while TfL has introduced a taxi-sharing scheme at all major railway stations. |
| TUBE LINE UPDATES Northern Line - good serviceDistrict Line - Trains from Wimbledon to Mansion House; Ealing Broadway to High Street KensingtonJubilee Line - minor delaysMetropolitan Line - Trains from Wembley Park to Baker StreetPiccadilly Line - Trains from Arnos Grove to Cockfosters; Acton Town to HammersmithVictoria Line - Trains from Seven Sisters to VictoriaBakerloo Line - Trains from Queen's Park to Elephant & CastleCentral Line - Liverpool Street to Epping and Hainault; White City to Ruislip and Ealing BroadwayCircle Line - suspendedHammersmith and City Line - Trains from Baker Street to HammersmithWaterloo and City - suspended Workers battle through travel chaos | TUBE LINE UPDATES Northern Line - good serviceDistrict Line - Trains from Wimbledon to Mansion House; Ealing Broadway to High Street KensingtonJubilee Line - minor delaysMetropolitan Line - Trains from Wembley Park to Baker StreetPiccadilly Line - Trains from Arnos Grove to Cockfosters; Acton Town to HammersmithVictoria Line - Trains from Seven Sisters to VictoriaBakerloo Line - Trains from Queen's Park to Elephant & CastleCentral Line - Liverpool Street to Epping and Hainault; White City to Ruislip and Ealing BroadwayCircle Line - suspendedHammersmith and City Line - Trains from Baker Street to HammersmithWaterloo and City - suspended Workers battle through travel chaos |
| Despite the walkout, TfL said a normal service was running on the Northern and Jubilee lines, while there was a reduced service on other routes. | Despite the walkout, TfL said a normal service was running on the Northern and Jubilee lines, while there was a reduced service on other routes. |
| TfL said it was running 120 trains - a quarter of the total trains on the network - while the capacity on the ferry service between London Bridge and Tower Bridge has been increased to 8,000 people an hour, compared to 1,000 on a normal day. | TfL said it was running 120 trains - a quarter of the total trains on the network - while the capacity on the ferry service between London Bridge and Tower Bridge has been increased to 8,000 people an hour, compared to 1,000 on a normal day. |
| Commuter Leslie Jarrett said "hundreds of people" were waiting for buses at Paddington. | Commuter Leslie Jarrett said "hundreds of people" were waiting for buses at Paddington. |
| "The situation was not easy as probably 85% of those waiting did not have a clue what bus to take." | "The situation was not easy as probably 85% of those waiting did not have a clue what bus to take." |
| Cyclist Jim Faircloth said: "The increased road usage of people in cars panicking about getting to work has made cycling more dangerous - I saw one accident and was nearly knocked off by car." | Cyclist Jim Faircloth said: "The increased road usage of people in cars panicking about getting to work has made cycling more dangerous - I saw one accident and was nearly knocked off by car." |
| England's World Cup qualifier against Andorra at Wembley Stadium will go ahead on Wednesday evening, despite concerns for the safety of fans travelling to the game. | England's World Cup qualifier against Andorra at Wembley Stadium will go ahead on Wednesday evening, despite concerns for the safety of fans travelling to the game. |
| Chiltern Railways announced its services would not stop at Wembley Stadium Station after 1200 BST on Wednesday for safety reasons. | |
| London Overground services will also not stop at Wembley Central or North Wembley stations after 1800 BST because of the strike. | London Overground services will also not stop at Wembley Central or North Wembley stations after 1800 BST because of the strike. |
| The closures will leave many of the 70,000 supporters forced to travel by car, even though there is a lack of parking in the area. | The closures will leave many of the 70,000 supporters forced to travel by car, even though there is a lack of parking in the area. |
| Last week, the Football Association stopped ticket sales for the game with some 20,000 left unsold. | Last week, the Football Association stopped ticket sales for the game with some 20,000 left unsold. |
| About three million people use the Tube network every day. | About three million people use the Tube network every day. |
| The London Chamber of Commerce has said six out of 10 firms in London have been affected by the strike which will cost the London economy about £100m. | The London Chamber of Commerce has said six out of 10 firms in London have been affected by the strike which will cost the London economy about £100m. |
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