Tube MD praises strike breaking drivers
Tim O'Toole, Managing Director of London Underground, speaking at Victoria Station this morning said: "I am sorry for the difficult journey many passengers are having to face today. We are encouraged by the number of train drivers at work, which is allowing us to run more services than we expected and I would like to thank those staff who are keeping London moving.''
Latest figures show that almost around 100 Underground trains are now running. Although the strike ends at 6.30pm the disruption will continue well into the evening.
Service update 17:30
Bakerloo 7 minute service between Elephant & Castle to
Paddington (Lambeth North, Piccadilly Circus, Regent's Park, Edgware Road all currently closed)
Central 20 minute service between Epping to Mile End
30 minute service between White City and Ealing
Broadway
30 minute service between West Ruislip and White
City. 20 minute service between Leytonstone to Woodford via Hainault
Circle No service.
District 20 minute service between Richmond - Gunnersbury.
10 minute service between Upminster -Whitechapel (Bow Road closed)
East London Full service - 6 minute (Wapping & Shadwell closed)
Hammersmith & City 7 minute service Baker Street - Plaistow
(Aldgate East closed)
Jubilee 5 minute service between Stanmore- Neasden
Metropolitan 20 minute service between Amersham - Baker Street
10 minute service between Uxbridge -Aldgate
30 minute service between Amersham- Chesham shuttle.
Northern 20 minute service between Morden - Kennington
12 minute High Barnet - Moorgate.
9 minute service between Golders Green - Kennington via Charing
Cross (King's Cross, Tufnell Park, Belsize Park, Hampstead, Mornington Crescent and Clapham South are closed)
Piccadilly 10 minute service between Arnos Grove - Cockfosters
Victoria 9 minute service between Walthamstow Central -
Brixton
Waterloo and City 10 minute service
London Buses:
Enhanced service levels with dozens of extra buses are operating on
fourteen bus Routes - C1, 2, 10, 25, 38, 42, 52, 73, 94, 108, 133, 155, 205 and 257.
The bus network is busier than normal but services are coping well.
The entire bus fleet of almost 8000 buses are out this morning, with maintenance schedules having been changed to allow buses over and above our regular peak vehicle requirement to be available for service.
LU Chief Operating Officer Mike Brown said: "An improved two-year pay offer was put to the trade unions today (29th June). It includes 3.5% in the first year, the same as the pay increase accepted by the trade union side on Network Rail, but LU's offer has far better pension provision. LU has increased pension contributions to maintain its final salary scheme for all staff, while Network Rail has not."
The deal would see LU workers still on a 37.5 hour working week having this reduced to 36 hours in the first year and 35 hours a week in the second year. LUL say this will be fully self-financing.
Mr. Brown said, "Given such an offer the RMT strike action is unjustified and will make traveling in the capital incredibly difficult for millions of Londoners and commuters. We remain ready to meet with the RMT at any time."
RMT general secretary Bob Crow said that he did not believe LUL managers were prepared to negotiate seriously and call on Ken Livingstone and Bob Kiley to lead the talks. He accused management of sending out a misleading bulletin which misses out the negative side of the offer such as a condition that the number of sick days taken be reduced and that signallers and operational managers will not get a reduced working week.
Advice to passengers is:
TfL intends to provide the following services, listed by transport
mode.
London Underground:
Passengers should check on how services are running before
commencing their journey. LU hopes to run some services, although they will be very limited and passengers should seek alternative transport if possible.
National Rail:
The strike by Network Rail staff has been called off, so national
rail services should run as normal. TfL staff will be on hand at major rail termini and transport interchanges to provide advice to those travelling into central London by train.
London Buses:
Bus services will run as normal, with some service enhancements on
key routes serving central London. Although due to the strike, services are likely to be much busier than normal and we would ask that passengers please be patient and allow more time for their journeys.
Docklands Light Railway:
DLR services will run as normal, but again services are likely to be
much busier than normal. Please be patient and allow more time for your journey.
Streets and Congestion Charge:
We would urge people not to drive into central London. There will
be no extra parking provision and the £5 daily Congestion Charge will still apply from 0700-1830hrs on Wednesday, June 30 in order to keep the streets moving and allow bus services to move as freely as possible.
River Services:
A free River service, paid for by London Underground, will run in
the morning and evening rush hours as follows:
Morning peak hour service:
Tower Pier - Blackfriars Pier - Embankment Pier - Westminster Pier -
Waterloo Pier - Blackfriars Pier - Tower Pier;
Services will run from 0600hrs at Tower Pier and run around every
10-15 minutes. Last boat from Tower Pier departs at 1000hrs;
Evening peak hour service:
Tower Pier - Blackfriars Pier - Waterloo Pier - Westminster Pier -
Embankment Pier - Blackfriars Pier - Tower Pier;
Services will run from 1620hrs at Tower Pier and run around every
10-15 minutes. Last boat from Tower Pier departs at 2000hrs.
Croydon Tramlink:
Will run as normal.
Passenger Information - Central London:
TfL staff will be on hand at major rail termini and transport
interchanges to provide travel advice to passengers. Two central London maps have been produced and will be available:
A central London walking map;
A central London bus services map.
Passenger Information - Outer London:
Local travel information maps, including bus services, have been prepared for every Zone 2-6 London Underground station and will be available at stations as leaflets.
For the latest travel information, visit www.tfl.gov.uk, phone the Travel Information line on 020-7222 1234 or check this web site.
June 30, 2004