‘Double whammy’ strikes to hit Tube and rail services

HUNDREDS of thousands of Tube commuters face major disruption tomorrow after last-ditch talks to prevent a walkout by drivers on the Central line broke down.

Many passengers face a “double whammy” of strike action, with a 24-hour walkout by Southern Railway train guards from the RMT union also due to go ahead.

The action by RMT drivers on the Central line, used by 800,000 people a day, will hit late services tonight and all tomorrow.

There will be no service tomorrow on the Waterloo & City line, which uses the same pool of drivers. This will also hit Southern passengers trying to reach London by transferring to South West Trains services into Waterloo.

RMT leaders ordered the Central line walkout — the second 24-hour stoppage — in a dispute over the “forced” transfer of eight drivers from their home depots in east London to west London, meaning longer journey times. Steve Griffiths, London Underground’s chief operating officer, said: “We have identified eight drivers for whom there is not enough work on the Central line, so we have asked them to move to another line where they would make a real difference to the service.”

But RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: “If LU are allowed to get away with this move on the Central line they will start shunting drivers around at the drop of a hat regardless of the consequences. Our members will be sent out from pillar to post to plug gaps that are solely down to staffing shortages.”

TfL said the Central line will close from 11.30 tonight. Tomorrow there will be no service east of Leytonstone all day and no westbound service between White City and Leytonstone from 5.30am and a “very limited” service from 7am. The line will close at 11pm.

Talks between the Aslef union and Southern Railway bosses were taking place today to try to resurrect a peace deal over driver-only trains.