UK: Travel misery for London's commuters as tube strike bites

Record ID: 341256

  • Title: UK: Travel misery for London's commuters as tube strike bites
  • Date: 5th February 2014
  • Summary: EVENING STANDARD NEWSPAPER STALL, WITH HEADLINE READING: " 'SHAMEFULL' TUBE STRIKE TO COST 200 MILLION POUNDS"
  • Embargoed: 20th February 2014 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: United Kingdom
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Politics,Transport
  • Reuters ID: LVA83X14206CX7P3TJD0N6L2JR8R
  • Story Text: Millions of commuters in London faced travel chaos on Wednesday (February 5) on the first full day of a 48-hour tube strike by London Underground staff over planned job cuts and the closure of ticket offices.
    Staff from the two main unions began the first of two planned 48-hour strikes late Tuesday (February 4) evening and by rush hour on Wednesday commuters faced long waiting times for over-crowded buses and trains as strong winds battered Britain's capital.
    The world's oldest and largest underground rail network, which carries over three million passengers a day, will run very limited services until Thursday (February 6) evening.
    "I had to wait for two trains and get very squashed and everyone was a bit angry," said Michelle Wright, after battling her way into central London.
    Many people were unable to get into work despite extra buses being put into in service, while others resorted to jogging and cycling to avoid the gridlocked roads.
    "It's a pain in the arse to be honest but it's fair enough, they have to fight for their rights," said Stefan Bornhoft.
    The RMT and the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA) unions called the strike to protest against London Underground's plans to cut up to 1,000 jobs and close ticket offices as part of its modernisation of the network.
    The union's resistance to use of automated ticket machines replacing ticket offices has angered some commuters.
    "Every company has to modernise, every infrastructure in the world has to modernise, you can't just stay stuck in time. If the ticket offices are moving through to automation then you can't just resist that and stop that from happening," said Chris Nash.
    British Prime Minister David Cameron branded the tube strikes as "shameful" and business leaders estimated it would cost the capital 200 million pounds.
    A second 48-hour strike is planned for next week from February 11 to February 14.
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