Last-minute talks are being held today in a bid to stop a Tube strike that could cripple the Central line on the last shopping weekend before Christmas.
The Central line is expected to come to a complete standstill if drivers go ahead with the industrial action for six hours on Friday evening and most of Saturday.
The strike will cripple services on one of London’s busiest lines and halt its Night Tube on Friday.
Drivers who work on the Waterloo & City line will also be striking.
The strike will take place from 9pm on Friday, December 21 and will continue into Saturday until midnight when the Central line will reopen for Saturday’s Night Tube service.
Stations will be busier than usual along the Central line route especially on Saturday afternoon with stations situated around Christmas shopping areas such as Oxford Circus.
But members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union are meeting TfL representatives at the conciliation service Acas on Wednesday in a bid to resolve the dispute.
Nick Dent, Director of Line Operations for London Underground called the festive period strikes as “totally unjustifiable.”
He said: “Safety is always our top priority and we will never waver from that.”
“I urge the union to call off this unwarranted action and spare Londoners needless disruption around Christmas.”
Mike Cash, RMT General Secretary said talks with TfL were at “breaking point.”
“There is a growing culture on London Underground that revolves around refusing to employ enough drivers, bullying staff and expecting our members to pick up the pieces when the service breaks down," he said.
“RMT members on the Central Line have made it clear that they have had enough and are prepared to stand up and fight for workplace respect and justice.”
Mr Cash called on Tube bosses to take the strikes seriously and engage in talks with the union to resolve the situation.
A further strike is planned for Boxing Day potentially disrupting commuters travelling for Christmas. According to TFL that strike will only affect the southern part of the Bakerloo line.
Strikes by RMT members on South Western Railway and Arriva Rail North are set to go ahead on Saturday in the long-running dispute over guards.
Hundreds of trains will be cancelled.
