Tube stike causes chaos on our roads

June 10th, 2009

Travel disruption affected at least a million people today as a 48 hour strike hit the tubes.

The two day strike, starting at 7pm yesterday, has been very shaky with half of London Underground’s 20,000 drivers, station and maintenance staff arriving for work according to The Times.

It hasn’t only disrupted commuters. Ticket-holders attending tonight’s football international between England and Andorra at Wembley are anxious as to how they are going to get to the game. They have been told to check the TfL website.

Many people with car insurance have had to turn to their car today leading to much of London being gridlocked.

The dispute is over pay but it is reported in The Telegraph that the RMT have agreed to put an offer of a two year deal to a referendum of its 9,000 members, so an end may be in sight. However, according to RMT the deal was scuppered at the last minute blaming Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, as having a change of heart. This was denied by Kulveer Ranger who insisted it was RMT that walked out without giving any time for the proposal to be considered. He said:

“London Underground made the very reasonable request that the RMT suspend strike action so that this could be worked through. However, the RMT leadership refused to continue or give the talks more time, and walked out.

“Londoners will be infuriated by their behaviour and will join us in calling for the RMT to suspend this strike immediately and return to negotiations.”

Entry Filed under: cars, travel