CODE RED: Taxi demand SOARS during Tube Strike despite gridlock and road-rage aimed at cabbies
It was ‘CODE RED’ for London taxi drivers yesterday as demand soared despite a gridlocked capital.
Around 10,000 tube workers took strike action yesterday after London Underground chiefs refused to rule out job cuts and detrimental changes to pensions.
RMT pickets were out in force at key locations across London as the London Underground shut its doors to passengers.
Under plans at the heart of the dispute, London Underground could be set to cut 600 frontline jobs and wants to scrap the final salary pension scheme in a bid to drive down costs.
RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch said: “Sadiq Khan should be standing up to Tory ministers who want to needlessly attack jobs, pensions and conditions of key transport workers. It is this political failure that has left tube workers with no choice but to strike this week. Our members have been left paying the price for a turf war between City Hall and the Government and they are not having it as can be seen right across London today.
“The Mayor knows the plan to attack our members’ pensions and conditions is wrong and would leave our union no choice but to take industrial action.
"However, only last week the Mayor agreed to submit proposals to the government that will result in detrimental changes to pensions.
"The Mayor has to decide if he is on the side of key workers who have kept London moving during the pandemic or Tory ministers hellbent on punishing tube workers.
"This dispute can be solved if the Mayor meets the reasonable demands of his own workforce."
There was no service across the network on Tuesday and a repeat of the action is also set for Thursday 3 March due to more planned RMT strike action. Transport for London (TfL) is urging customers whose journeys rely on the Tube to work from home if they can, consider alternative modes of transport and leave extra time for essential journeys.
The planned action is also likely to severely impact services on Wednesday 2 March and Friday 4 March, particularly in the morning, up until 9am. Customers are advised to travel later, check before they travel and consider whether their journeys are essential.
The Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association (LTDA) sent out a warning to its cab driver members urging cabbies to be careful during the strike. It was reported that several instances of road rage was logged with taxi trade representatives.
A LTDA spokesperson said: “Please be careful out there! Horrendous record breaking traffic and gridlock is causing frustration and fragile tempers. Several instances today of road rage directed at members.”
