Tube Strike Goes Ahead


48 hour walkout over pay and job cuts

The RMT's strike action commenced at 18.59 hours on Tuesday 9th June and continues through to 18.58 hours on Thursday 11th June 2009. Normal services should resume on the morning of Friday 12 June.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said, “After months of stonewalling LUL has also tabled what is at best a five-year pay freeze which it knows full well could never be accepted, and its managers appear to have been given the nod to unleash a fresh round of bullying.

“We said from the start that our members, whether in LUL or TfL, would not be made to pay for the failure and greed of bankers and privateers, and that any attempt to impose compulsory redundancies would be met with a ballot for industrial action.”

TfL's transport commissioner Peter Hendy said,"The RMT's leadership has shown yet again that no matter how far an offer is made, they would rather strike than talk."

TfL tabled a new offer of a 1.5% pay increase on Friday plus guaranteed inflation proof rises for the next few years. The RMT is demanding 5% now and no compulsory redundancies.

Mr. Hendy said, "Their attitude is a slap in the face to all hard-working Londoners and businesses struggling through a deep recession."

TfL have unveiled a raft of extra services as part of a major effort to help Londoners and commuters get around the Capital during the strike.

Plans include extra buses, access to all Greater London National Rail services with Oyster pay as you go, taxi sharing at major rail stations, escorted commuter cycle rides, additional cycle parking and a free River shuttle service.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: 'I am determined to do as much as is humanly possible to ease the journeys of the millions of Londoners whose lives may be disrupted if strike action takes place. 'The myriad of organisations and individuals that have already agreed to lay on free services, lead cycle rides, drive extra services and marshal shared taxi ranks exemplifies the united approach we will need."

Check before travelling - Londoners and commuters are being advised to make absolutely certain they plan ahead and check before they travel should the strike go ahead. All the latest travel information and details of alternative travel options will be available via the TfL website and London media bulletins.

Over the two main days of the strike, TfL staff will be on hand across the bus network and at Tube stations to offer travel advice and will be distributing walking maps in central London.

Those bus drivers and other public transport workers who are on duty will be doing their very best to keep London moving and passengers' patience is asked for over what may be difficult journeys.

Tube - Customers using the Underground on the Tuesday evening are advised to finish their journeys by 19:00 to ensure they get home, as services are likely to decline after this time.

Buses - London Buses operates more than 700 routes with services being boosted by up to 100 extra buses on key routes on strike days.

National Rail - Oyster pay as you go will be accepted on all National Rail journeys within Greater London on Wednesday and Thursday, just show your Oyster card at station gate lines.

Taxis - During the morning peak hours of 08:00-10:30, taxi drivers will be operating a marshalled, fixed-fare shared taxi service for central London destinations at seven major London rail termini: Waterloo, King's Cross, Liverpool Street, London Bridge, Marylebone, Paddington and Euston.

DLR and London Overground - Services will be operating as normal.

Roads and the Congestion Charge - To help keep traffic flowing, TfL will be suspending roadworks on major London roads wherever possible and the Congestion Charge will remain in operation.

Where possible, Londoners and commuters are encouraged to consider alternatives to the car.

Cycling - Additional options for cyclists will include morning commuter led cycle rides, temporary parking facilities and thousands of cycle maps will be distributed across London.

Led commuter rides - The London Cycle Campaign will be leading five escorted rides into central London with TfL volunteers at start points to provide maps, refreshments and guidance, further details are available at http://www.biketube.org.uk
All rides will set off from 07:45 from the following locations:

River - Existing services will be boosted from a capacity of 1,500 to 8,000 an hour and will include an additional free shuttle service from London Bridge to Tower Bridge:

Greenwich - Canary Wharf - Central London: normal Clippers service with enhancements
Putney - central London: normal Thames Executive Charter (TEC) service with four boats instead of two
London Eye - Westminster - Tower Bridge - free peak shuttle every 10 minutes between 07:00-10:00 and 15:00-20:00 on both main strike days




June 10, 2009