Drivers Strike Hits Several London Underground Lines on Black Friday

LONDON (Sputnik) – A 24-hour strike by train drivers is affecting several London underground lines, causing transport disruption to the UK capital during Black Friday sales, a Sputnik correspondent reported.

The Jubilee, Northern and Victoria lines were running at reduced services, with intervals between trains longer than usual, while the Central, Piccadilly and Waterloo & City lines were closed for the day.

"You'd better go out and take a bus because there is a strike", a Transport for London (TfL) staff at Bank Station told Sputnik when asked for the best route to continue the journey to Oxford Street, Europe's busiest shopping street.

London, UK

© Flickr / Otto Kristensen

A German couple that had arrived in London on holidays looked lost at the closed gates of the Central line.

"We're just visitors and although is right to go on strike, this is quite unexpected for us", they said.

The strike was called by the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) over the night shifts train drivers are required to work to enable the restart of the underground night service, which is due to resume Saturday for the first time since the start of the pandemic.

"The tube strike action this morning is rock solid in all depots and the widespread impact on services is solely down to the management failure to recognise and address the anger of their staff at the imposition of damaging and unacceptable working practices", RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch said in a statement.

The strike is expected to continue over the weekend, as Victoria and Central line drivers are also under orders not to work from on Saturday and Sunday.