Travel fears amid confirmed Underground strikes

Transport and retail officials have expressed serious concern following the confirmation of four Tube strikes.

Travel Insurance News - 15/12/2011

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London’s public transport users will be forced to deal with a crippled network on Boxing Day, as well as on 16 January, 3 February and 13 February after Underground drivers voted to turn to industrial action in response to a dispute over holiday pay.

About half of all Tube drivers took part in the vote sanctioned by the Aslef union, more than 90 per cent of which said that they favoured strikes. The vote comes after Aslef, which represents around 2,200 Underground train drivers, was denied in its efforts for drivers to receive triple pay and an extra day off for working during the Boxing Day holiday.

Tube chief executive Howard Collins has since condemned the union’s action, saying that taking such steps whilst talks were ongoing was disgraceful. He added that the pay demands were “outrageous” and said that opting for industrial action would not achieve anything.

Meanwhile, the news comes as a particularly unwelcomed blow for London retailers, which are already suffering a drop in sales of 10 per cent compared to one year ago, according to new figures. High street stores worry that a lack of public access to prime shopping locations will further exacerbate the issue, which continues to be fuelled further by weak consumer confidence.

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