Holiday misery on the Tube

Tube passengers are to be hit by a double dose of travel misery.

Next week's strike follows an overwhelming vote in favour to be officially announced later today.

Tomorrow's Piccadilly line strike by drivers and next week's action by signal workers was bitterly condemned today.

A senior London Underground manager said: "If both of these strikes take place it is going to cause a huge amount of travel problems for many hundreds of thousands of passengers, tourists and shoppers." And retailers are furious at the timing of the strikes at their busiest period of the year. Jo Valentine, chief executive of London First, the consortium which promotes business in the capital, said: "Striking on Christmas Eve seriously jeopardises important retail sales.

"The Piccadilly line includes Knightsbridge, Covent Garden and Piccadilly stations to name but a few. Retailers and Londoners have done nothing to deserve this treatment.

"Business would like to see Transport for London and the unions call off this strike immediately. This would be a true Christmas present for Londoners and business."

With the Piccadilly line strike looming, LU is warning of severe disruption and says holidaymakers heading for Heathrow should allow much longer for their journeys or use other means of reaching the airport.

Commuters are also warned to use other lines, buses or even walk. There will be no trains running between King's Cross, St Pancras and Cockfosters. There will be long delays between trains on other sections of the line.

The Piccadilly line strike has been ordered by Aslef after driver Mario Vachos was demoted to station assistant for having passed through signals at red. LU ordered his demotion for nine months meaning a reduction of £11,000 in his £34,000 a year salary.

After this time he can apply for his old job back but the union want him reinstated now subject to retraining.

Aslef says Mr Vachos is being treated unfairly and far harsher than others who have committed similar offences.

LU said there are "behind the scenes moves" taking place today to try and prevent tomorrow's strike.

Steve Grant, Aslef London district secretary, said: "There are no new meetings planned for today and as

far as we are concerned tomorrow's strike is going ahead."

Other Piccadilly line drivers not involved in the official strike could also refuse to work - raising the threat of one of the Tube busiest lines being forced to shut down completely.

In the New Year's Eve dispute, hundreds of signal workers who belong to the RMT union have voted to strike over a complex pay and conditions dispute.

Today London Underground chiefs were meeting Tube unions to try to reach a deal in the signal workers dispute.

But there was no hope of tomorrow's strike being called off.