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London Underground Tube strike set to begin later London Underground Tube strike to begin later
(about 7 hours later)
A 48-hour Tube strike is set to start later when London Underground workers walk out in a row over plans to close ticket offices. A 48-hour Tube strike will start later after talks broke down between London Underground and the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union.
Rail, Maritime and Transport union members will stage a walk-out at 21:00, returning at 20:59 on Wednesday. Workers will walk out at 21:00 BST, returning at 20:59 on Wednesday, in a row over plans to close ticket offices and cut 960 jobs.
It is thought service disruption could begin before the official walk-out and continue until Thursday morning. It is thought disruption could begin before the official walk-out and continue until Thursday morning.
RMT and London Underground (LU) are in talks over the plans, which will result in 960 jobs being axed. RMT and London Underground (LU) have left conciliatory service Acas.
'Gun at our members heads' 'Entrenched position'
The union and LU have met more than 40 times through the conciliatory service Acas since the last 48-hour strike in February. The union and LU have met more than 40 times through Acas since the last 48-hour strike in February, but transport correspondent Tom Edwards said LU left the last ditch talks at about 11:25 BST.
Mick Cash, the RMT's acting general secretary, said: "This dispute is solely about cash-led cuts to jobs and services that would decimate Tube safety." LU has said services will be affected from about 21:30 BST.
Mr Cash said the union was waiting on the delivery of a promise from LU to provide it with a station-by-station review of the cuts and their impact on staff, passengers and safety. On Tuesday and Wednesday, where services can be operated, trains will run from 07:00 BST or as soon as possible after that.
But LU said concessions had already been made including a promise that a supervisor would work out of every station, rather than one worker overseeing up to five stations. Services are expected to conclude at about 23:00 BST, with no service beyond that, but the last services from central London may depart much earlier, at about 21:30 BST.
There would be no compulsory redundancies, he added. Mick Cash, the RMT's acting general secretary, said: "London Underground have dug themselves into an entrenched position and have refused to move one inch from their stance of closing every ticket office, in breach of the agreement reached previously through Acas which enabled us to suspend the previous round of action.
Mike Brown, managing director of LU said: "What I really want is constructive, alternative, positive proposals from the RMT, not just saying 'no' to everything we offer. "Elected members of the Greater London Authority have called for a public consultation on these cuts and the future of the Tube. RMT agrees with that."
"We've moved a huge amount since the last series of strikes. I'm really totally bemused as to why this disruption to London is still being continued... obviously I'll try and do everything up to the 11th hour." Mr Cash said the union remained available for serious and meaningful talks about its alternative proposals.
Transport for London has issued a document of travel advice to customers and said it plans to run as many services as possible with extra bus and river services. Mayor of London Boris Johnson, called the strike "pointless".
The strike is likely to hit university students taking degree exams. On its website King's College London says it is aware of students' concerns and is monitoring the situation. He said: "More than 600 people have asked for voluntary redundancy and yet, without consulting any of their own members, the RMT is suddenly insisting that London Underground halt this process.
"Commuters and businesses will suffer because a few narrow-minded union barons are currently flexing their muscles in a fight for the leadership of a union where just 30% of members support a strike."
LU has said concessions had already been made, including a promise that a supervisor would work out of every station, rather than one worker overseeing up to five stations.
There would be no compulsory redundancies, it added.
Transport for London has issued a document of travel advice to customers.
It has said it plans to run as many services as possible with extra bus and river services, but customers are advised to check their journey before they travel.
The following services are expected to run less frequently and with some stations excluded:
The strike is likely to hit university students taking degree exams. On its website, King's College London says it is aware of students' concerns and is monitoring the situation.
Football fans travelling to Arsenal's game with Newcastle on Monday and Chelsea's Champions League match with Atletico Madrid on Wednesday will also be affected.Football fans travelling to Arsenal's game with Newcastle on Monday and Chelsea's Champions League match with Atletico Madrid on Wednesday will also be affected.
Members of the RMT are also set to strike for 72 hours from 21:00 BST on Monday 5 May, if the dispute is not resolved.Members of the RMT are also set to strike for 72 hours from 21:00 BST on Monday 5 May, if the dispute is not resolved.