Restarting the Night Tube: 'Little or no service' expected as strikes hit service

Tens of thousands of people signed a petition calling for the Night Tube to resume to help protect women and girls

London Underground customers are being warned to expect "little or no service" on the Night Tube on its reopening this weekend as a 24-hour strike goes ahead over drivers' rotas.

Plans to relaunch the overnight service on Central and Victoria lines on Saturday 27 November after a 20-month break have been hit by walkouts across the Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria lines.

Night Tube trains should run at least every 10 minutes from midnight until 5am but strike action is putting the reliability of trains in doubt.

It is "highly likely" the service will be disrupted by Friday's walkout over plans to make night shifts compulsory for drivers, Transport for London said.

A TfL spokesperson said it was unable to say how frequent trains will be and evening commuters face "little or no service".

It advised customers to check before they travel and to use buses to complete journeys if necessary.

Uniformed and plain clothes British Transport officers will be patrolling the network, the spokesperson said.

Weekend tube customers are being warned "severe disruptions" are likely from 7pm on:

  • 27-28 November

  • 3-5 December

  • 10-12 December

  • 17-18 December.

Tens of thousands of people signed a petition calling for the Night Tube to resume to help protect women and girls travelling in the capital.

However, the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) union says TfL has "ripped up" an agreement on Night Tube driving by changing rosters.

Watch: London reacts to Tube driver walkouts
At a glance: How strikes will impact weekend travel
Tube strike: Six London Underground lines disrupted

RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch described the service as "a magnet for violent, abusive and anti-social behaviour" in a row over jobs cuts last month.

"We warned months ago that slashing 200 Night Tube train driver positions would create a staffing nightmare and London Underground need to start facing up to that reality," he said.

London Underground bosses described the strike action as "unnecessary".

"By making changes to Tube driver rosters we have provided greater flexibility for drivers as well as permanent work and job security, something welcomed by all other unions," said Nick Dent, director of London Underground customer operations.