15:28 04 February 2014
The proposed London Underground tube strike has become a reality, affecting thousands of commuters across London. The strike is due to last 48 hours starting from Tuesday evening.
There will also be a second 48-hour walk out that is scheduled from 9:30pm on Tuesday February 11 to the morning of the following Friday.
Union leaders are furious that London Mayor Boris Johnson pledged to keep ticket offices open at Underground stations.
Meanwhile, there will be very few services that will still run on the underground. These include the following:
• Bakerlooo Line - Trains between Queen’s Park and Elephant & Castle around every six minutes in both directions.
• District Line - Trains between Upminster and Wimbledon around every eight minutes in both directions.
• Hammersmith and City Line - Trains between Hammersmith and Moorgate around every ten minutes in both directions.
• Jubilee Line - Trains between Stanmore and Finchley Road around every five minutes in both direction.
• Metropolitan Line - Trains between Harrow-on-the-Hill and Aldgate around every ten minutes in both directions.
• Northern Line - Trains should run 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.
Bob Crow, RMT leader has given an explanation as to why the strike is taking place. He said: “This comes at a time when the Tube network is under growing pressure from customer demand and needs more staff and not less to ensure safe and efficient operation.
“These cuts would hit the vulnerable, the elderly, those with disabilities and women the hardest. De-staffing stations, with supervisors running operations three stops down the line on an iPad would turn the Tube system into a criminals’ paradise where those with violence and robbery on their minds are given a clear run.
“RMT will work with our sister unions and passenger groups to ensure that Tube users understand just what’s at stake as Boris Johnson turns his opportunist election pledges on their head.”