LONDON — London’s subway network remained closed today (July 9) amid a strike over pay for running a new night service. Commuters crowded surface railways and roads were snarled with cars and buses, while thousands more cycled or stayed home.

The 24-hour walkout is due to end tonight, though London Underground said the Tube, as the subway is known, will remain closed for the day, with some disruption continuing into tomorrow.

Millions left work early yesterday to beat the strike, which started at 6.30pm as members of four unions walked out over Mayor Boris Johnson’s plans to run Tube services overnight. Transport for London (TfL), which oversees London Underground and reports to Johnson, said people should travel outside peak hours today and consider working from home where possible.

“These things are only sorted out around a table, not by inflicting misery on hard working Londoners,” Mr Mike Brown, London Underground’s managing director, said in a statement. “We remain committed to talking to the unions at any time.”

The strike went ahead after talks between London Underground and four labour groups failed to reach an agreement, with the RMT transport union describing the latest pay offer for night working as “divisive and unacceptable.”

TfL said it won’t be possible to run trains tonight once the strike ends. Overground rail, trams and the Docklands Light Railway are running as normal and there are 200 extra buses.

‘NO RESPONSE’

Members of the three groups — the RMT, Unite and the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association — have walked out until 6.30pm, while train drivers from the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen stopped work later and will stay out until 9.30pm.

“It’s just not right that a strike should go ahead when there’s a very good deal on the table,” Mr Johnson said on LBC radio. “It’s extraordinary the union leadership have not put this offer back to their members. We’ve had no response.”

London’s subway has endured a series of disruptions over the past 18 months — including a 48-hour walkout last year that drove away almost 50 per cent of the passengers — after Mr Johnson announced plans to introduce 24-hour running and boost daytime frequencies, while closing some ticket offices.

Londoners “overwhelmingly back the Night Tube”, which will run on Fridays and Saturdays on five lines, according to LU Chief Operating Officer Steve Griffiths, who said staff affected will need to work a few extra nights a year, but no extra hours.

In return, the operator is offering a 2 per cent average pay increase this year, followed by a raise equal to inflation or 1 per cent — whichever is higher — in the next two years. There’ll also be a 500-pound (S$1,041.37) bonus for all staff on Night Tube lines and 2,000 pounds for train operators, it said.

The RMT said London Underground’s offer of a lump sum to a minority of workers was a “cynical” bid to play individuals off against each other. It added that the deal would be “financed off the back of the proposed axing of over 800 safety-critical station jobs” as station staff are cut and ticket offices closed.

The Tube has 270 stations, with 57,000 people using the busiest, Waterloo, during the three-hour morning peak. Passengers typically make 3 million daily journeys. BLOOMBERG