Tube drivers belonging to the “militant” RMT union are walking out today in a row over a four-day week.
The London Underground strikes start at midday on Tuesday (April 21) for 24 hours, and again from midday on Thursday (April 23) for 24 hours.
Union chiefs have been accused of timing the two 24-hour walkouts so they impact on the capital’s transport network over four days rather than just two.
Most lines will see a reduced service due to the action by the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT), but the Piccadilly and Circle lines are expected to be shut down.
There was also set be no services on the Metropolitan line between Baker Street and Aldgate, or on the Central line between White City and Liverpool Street.
As the industrial action started, and as local elections in London loom, a furious row erupted over support for the RMT union’s strikes from Zack Polanski’s Green Party.
Caroline Russell, leader of the Greens on the London Assembly, had stressed that the drivers had been raising “important issues about their working conditions that ultimately affect safety” and urged Transport for London (TfL) to listen and engage with the union.
However, in her statement she did not mention the impact of the strikes on hundreds of thousands of Londoners whose journeys are likely to be disrupted, take longer or be in more crowded trains.
“We can see the chaos the Greens would bring to Britain,” Shadow Transport Secretary Richard Holden told the Standard.
“Strikes, disruption, and making ordinary working people pay the price for their weird far-left ideological politics.”
Condemning the “militant” action by the RMT, he added: “Conservatives will always side with the passengers over the picket line, with workers over wreckers, with Britain over the union bosses.”
Far more Londoners are expected to work from home this week to avoid being affected by the strikes.
Others will get to work by bus, on bikes or by walking if they are unable to use the Underground.
Sutton and Cheam MP Luke Taylor, Liberal Democrat spokesman for London, stressed: "There's no two ways about it - these strikes will hurt working Londoners.
“Picking sides and ignoring that impact is deeply irresponsible but sadly, that's what we've come to expect from the Green Party.”
Business chiefs have strongly criticised the strikes this week, which are estimated to cost London £210 million.
The city centre is expected to be hardest hit including the West End and wider tourism sector as fewer people head into the capital.
Reform UK’s London mayoral candidate Laila Cunningham branded the Greens a “danger to London”.
“Instead of standing up for working Londoners, the Green Party has chosen to back the very strikers that are holding them hostage,” she said.
“They’ve picked militant unions over Londoners, opting instead to support higher prices for commuters and happily backing London businesses losing hundreds of millions of pounds in lost revenue.”
However, the Greens, who are expected to win hundreds of seats and possibly some councils in London at the May local elections, were sticking to their stance on the walk-outs.
Ms Russell had said: “The drivers are raising really important issues about their working conditions that ultimately affect safety.
“What’s important is that TfL listens and engages with the striking drivers so that their issues can be addressed through dialogue.”
But the Green Party’s position appeared to be undermined by the fact that members of the Aslef train drivers' union voted to accept the proposals.
Aslef views the agreement over the introduction of a four-day working week as so good that one of its London Underground organisers said it was “exactly the sort of deal every trade union should be trying to achieve”.
But the RMT argued it could increase fatigue among drivers and compromise safety.
Transport for London rejected the claims, emphasising that the changes are voluntary.
It hit out at the industrial action as “completely unnecessary.”
A City Hall source said: “Nobody wants to see strike action which has a serious impact on Londoners, businesses and commuters.”
London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan had urged the RMT and TfL “to get around the table” so the industrial action could be called off.
Tube passengers were being warned this week to “check before you travel” given the expected disruption on the capital’s transport system.
