London Underground postpones launch of all-night trains

London Underground (LU) has put back the launch of its 24-hour Tube service amid ongoing talks with trade unions.

The all-night tube was due to start on the Jubilee, Victoria and most of the Piccadilly, Central and Northern lines on September 12.

Union opposition to management proposals has so far led to two 24-hour strikes in the past few weeks.

Two days of strikes planned for this week were called off at the last minute, as negotiations progressed, but the announcement of further delays was made today as the deadline fast approached.

In a statement, London Underground said it wanted to conclude the talks and avoid further strikes.

LU officials had previously said that the service would not be launched “at any cost”, but Transport for London had confirmed as recently as this week that it was still committed to the 12 September date. It has to be done in a way that works for London Underground, for passengers, and also for the drivers who deliver this service every day.

He added: “Common sense has broken out at London Underground and now we can sit down with them and work this out”.

London First, a lobbying group representing businesses said the delay was “disappointing”. The strikes brought chaos to London’s transportation system.

Mick Cash, the general secretary of RMT, one of the tube-affiliated unions, said: “We warned repeatedly that it would be risky and foolish to press ahead with bodged night tube plans until the very basics in terms of staffing and safety had been agreed with the unions through the long-established frameworks”.

She said: “This is a big climb down for the Mayor”.

She said: “By pushing for a set start date the mayor strengthened the union’s negotiating position”.

London’s Mayor Boris Johnson had already hinted that the start of the night-time weekend service would be delayed but the decision had not been formalised.

If “never taking the night bus ever again” was on your wish list for mid-September, think again.