Night Tube launch 'could be delayed until after Mayoral election in May'

The launch of the Night Tube could be delayed for months, it was warned
Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images
Dick Murray26 January 2016

The start of Night Tube is still months away and may not even happen until after the London Mayoral election on May 5, it was claimed today.

Unions warned the launch could be delayed in a move that would rob Boris Johnson of a key achievement announcement before he leaves office.

The Mayor announced 24-hour running on Fridays and Saturdays in September 2014 but did so without any agreement from the Underground network’s powerful unions on how it would operate.

The RMT yesterday became the last of the unions to call off a 24-hour strike due to begin this evening in the long running Night Tube, pay and other issues dispute.

Finn Brennan, London Underground organiser for Aslef, the train drivers’ union and one of the key negotiators throughout the dispute, said: “We could still be months away from a start for Night Tube.

“We hope the progress that’s been made means that London will finally get a Night Tube service this year.”

Night tube: stations included in the overnight service (Picture: Transport for London)
Tfl

He blamed London Underground for the delay. “If LU had been ready to negotiate a fair agreement from the start, then the delay and two days of strike action (last year) could have been avoided.

“Let’s hope they learn the lesson for the future.”

The service failed to materialise on the scheduled start date of 12 September last year because of the ongoing dispute with all the unions over working conditions and pay.

Tube bosses then announced they were going to employ 700 part-time drivers to run the Night Tube - a move designed also to defeat the stranglehold held by the unions.

LU is still currently sifting through 6,000 applications for the jobs but it takes a minimum of 12 weeks to train a driver.

Strike action was suspended following an improved pay and conditions offer - still not accepted by all the unions on a formal basis pending referendums.

Unlike other unions the RMT said two further 24-hour walkouts planned for next month remain on the cards while further discussions take place with LU.

Even once the dispute is finally settled there is still a huge amount of operation detail to be agreed.

LU would not estimate the timing of any new start date saying the plan was to begin Night Tube “as soon as possible.”

Steve Griffiths, LU’s chief operating officer, said: “Following constructive talks at ACAS (the conciliation service,) all four trade unions have suspended their strike action due to take place this week. Our very fair offer reiterates our previous guarantees on protecting the work life balance of our staff and a four-year pay deal which remains within our business plan.

"Meanwhile we continue to progress plans for the implementation of the Night Tube, including the recruitment of 700 new staff to operate this exciting new service."

When it does eventually start trains will run 24 hours on Fridays and Saturdays along the entire Jubilee and Victoria lines.

On the Central line they will operate between Ealing Broadway and Loughton/Hainault; on the Northern, trains will run the entire route except on the Mill Hill East and Bank branches; and on the Piccadilly line, the service will operate between Cockfosters and Heathrow Terminal 5.

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