Tube strike called off after ‘intense’ negotiations between Aslef and TfL

Tube strikes which would have brought the London Underground to a virtual standstill next week have been called off.

Aslef, the Tube drivers’ union, said the breakthrough had come following “intense” negotiations with Transport for London over proposed changes to working conditions.

Drivers had been set to walkout on Monday, with commuters warned there would be little to no service across the network.

A second strike, which had been planned for Saturday, 4 May, has also been cancelled.

An Aslef spokesperson said: “Management have confirmed that they have disbanded their ‘Trains Modernisation’ team and will not be implementing their plans to change drivers’ working arrangements without agreement.

“They have also agreed to reinstate annual refresher training stopped during the pandemic.”

London mayor Sadiq Khan wrote in an post on X/Twitter: “This demonstrates – once again – what can be achieved by talking and engaging with transport staff and trade unions rather than working against them.”

The proposed changes would have meant more driving time for Tube drivers and traveling to the train depots in their own time. The union said the changes could have risked hundreds of jobs.

The negotiations only apply to the Tube workers, with rail strikes across the mainline network still set to take place on Monday.

Aslef, the train union, represents 96 per cent of train drivers in Britain.