Tube Drivers To Stage Fresh 24-Hour Strike

London Underground drivers are to stage another 24-hour strike amid a dispute over the new all-night Tube service.

The ASLEF union said the walkout would take place from 9.30pm on Wednesday, 5 August, threatening more severe disruption to journeys.

The announcement comes less than a week after a 24-hour Tube strike caused travel chaos in the capital .

Millions of commuters faced rush-hour misery as they tried to get to and from work during the action that took place from last Wednesday evening, crippling services until Friday morning.

In the biggest Underground walkout in over a decade, the Tube network was shut down with stations closed, while other forms of transport were packed, even though extra bus and ferry services were laid on.

Travellers described "absolute carnage". One commuter said police were called to a bus stop after the driver refused to move because his vehicle was too packed.

Twice as many people as usual hired bikes to get to their companies, while many commuters walked for miles in the sunshine as roads were packed with cars.

Business groups have warned another strike will cost firms millions of pounds in lost productivity.

Unions are unhappy about pay and rosters for the all-night service, which is due to begin on 12 September.

London Underground bosses and the four unions involved in the last strike - ASLEF, RMT, TSSA and Unite - have been invited by dispute resolution service ACAS to hold fresh talks in an attempt to avoid a repeat of last week's scenes.

The RMT, TSSA and Unite have not yet announced whether they will also take part in the industrial action on 5 August.

Steve Griffiths, London Underground's chief operating officer, said: "We have made a very fair and reasonable offer on pay and the introduction of the night Tube and we continue to urge the trade unions to put it to their members.

"We will be at ACAS for further discussions to resolve this issue and trust the trade unions will be too."

Labour's London Assembly transport spokeswoman Val Shawcross said: "With another strike on the horizon it's time for Boris Johnson to tone down the rhetoric and start focusing on resolving this dispute before Londoners are forced to endure another day of travel chaos."