London Underground Night Tube launch ‘delayed'
The launch of London Underground Night Tube services has been delayed amid planned strike action.
It is not known how long the launch will be delayed, but the BBC reported that the 24-hour weekend services on the Jubilee, Victoria and most of the Piccadilly, Central and Northern lines, which were due to start on 12 September, would now be delayed.
Members of four unions took strike action on 6 August and 8 July in the dispute over the Night Tube proposals.
Three unions have also announced two 24-hour walkouts on 25 and 27 August, as unions claimed the Night Tube plans would result in "rosters from hell" and would affect staff work/life balance.
LU bosses have countered that unions are demanding more money.
LU drivers will not be joining the two fresh strikes, according to the BBC.
Further talks will now be held with transport bosses in a bid to resolve the row.
The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT), the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) and Unite members announced on Tuesday their members would walk out for 24 hours from 18:30 BST on Tuesday 25 August and at 18:30 on Thursday 27 August.
The British Hospitality Association warned last week that the last Tube strike on 6 August was a "nightmare" for hospitality, and the walkouts later this month are expected to cause further pain to the sector if they go ahead. The 8 July strike caused a 24% drop in searches for London hotels, according to Trivago.co.uk.
Meanwhile, the prospect of the Night Tube has been broadly welcomed by the hospitality industry. D&D managing director David Loewi said the move was nothing but good. Speaking earlier this year he said: "It will help customers and staff get home safely, keep London top of tourists' minds and create jobs."
Latest tube strike is ‘nightmare' for hospitality, says BHA >>
