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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
National

Tube strike off: Planned Central line and Bakerloo line walkouts suspended

A file image of Central line commuters as the route was hit by huge delays on Thursday (Picture: Nick Ansell/PA)

A planned strike on one of the busiest Tube lines which would have caused misery for Christmas shoppers this weekend has been called off.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union on the Central Line were due to walk out for six hours from 8am on Friday evening and again for most of Saturday.

The union announced it was suspending the strikes following two days of talks at the conciliation service Acas.

The RMT also said a planned strike on the Bakerloo line on Boxing day had been suspended.

The RMT accused LU of 10 months of "mismanagement" that had led to a deterioration in industrial relations.

The strike was called following the sacking of a worker who failed a random drugs test, as well as a breakdown in industrial relations.

The union warned that if further "substantial" progress is not made in a number of areas, there will be industrial action in the new year.

Nick Dent, director of line operations for London Underground, said: "I welcome the decision by the RMT to suspend the strike action around Christmas.

"We have engaged in constructive discussions in recent days and have agreed on ways to resolve these disputes, avoiding unnecessary disruption around such an important period for customers, tourists and businesses alike."

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