Tube strike February 2017: Commuters warned of rush-hour chaos and queues during planned walk-out

London transport bosses have warned commuters to prepare for rush-hour queues and overcrowded stations during a Central line Tube strike planned for next week.

The 24-hour strike is due to take place from Tuesday evening in protest of the “forced” transfer of eight drivers to different depots.

Members of both the RMT and Aslef unions announced they would hold the walk-out from 9pm on Tuesday, February 21.

The strike will leave the Central line with no service east of Leytonstone and a reduced service running on the rest of the line all day on Wednesday.

The Waterloo & City line, which uses the same pool of drivers, will have no service at all on Wednesday.

Peter McNaught, Operations Director for the Central line, said: “I apologise to customers for the disruption that this unnecessary strike will cause.

“We have made all reasonable efforts to resolve this dispute through talking through the issues with the unions, and we have minimised the number of employees affected from over 30 to eight.

“All of these moves are within the longstanding agreements we have made with the unions.

Tube strike timetable

Tuesday 21 February

• 23:30: Central line closing so customers are advised to complete their journeys on the line by this time

• The Waterloo & City line will not be affected

Wednesday 22 February

• All day: No Waterloo & City and no Central line east of Leytonstone

• 05:30: No westbound Central line between White City and Leytonstone

• 07:00: Very limited Central line

• 23:00: Central line closing so customers are advised to complete their journeys by this time

“We urge them to engage with us to resolve this issue and to withdraw the strike action, which will only cause needless disruption to Londoners.”

TfL warned that Chingford, Ilford and Leytonstone stations will be “extremely busy” during rush-hour – with queues expected outside.

Rail services between Romford and Stratford and London Overground lines between Liverpool Street and Chingford are also expected to be overcrowded due to the strike.

And the Victoria line will be much busier than usual, particularly Walthamstow Central, as will the Jubilee line between London Bridge and Waterloo.

A TfL statement said: “Customers may have to queue outside stations during peak times to prevent overcrowding, and it may take longer than usual to board a train.”

A temporary bus service will be operating between Epping and Chingford calling providing connections to London Overground services.

Costumers have been advised to complete their journeys by 11:30pm on Tuesday night, before the line closes.

The dispute is over the “forced” transfer of eight drivers from their home depots at the eastern end of the line to others in central London, including Earl’s Court, meaning they have further to travel.

RMT leaders say it is being done without agreement – a claim robustly denied by London Underground (LU).

Mick Cash, RMT general secretary, said: "RMT negotiators have made strenuous efforts through the Acas machinery to resolve this dispute but the door has been slammed in our faces.

"To up the ante, LU have now written to us confirming that they will be bulldozing through the displacements regardless.

"Let us be in no doubt, if LU are allowed to get away with this move on the Central Line they will start shunting drivers around at the drop of a hat regardless of the consequences.

"Our members will be sent out from pillar to post to plug gaps that are solely down to staffing shortages.

"With massive budget cuts in the pipeline at LU this is a straw in the wind as to how the company expects to operate in the future."

TfL said: “These moves are in accordance with TfL’s agreements with the unions, which state that employees can be asked to work at any location on the network.

“No further moves are planned.”