Clippers to provide extra services for tube strike

City Cruises is putting on free boat services between London Bridge and Tower Bridge during the planned 48-hour action. But O2 arena and Clipper owner AEG has also set up extra measures to reduce disruption for visitors.

London Underground bosses and the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union are holding last minute talks in a bid to avert the action, which was agreed by 3,000 union members in a row over pay.

Members called for a five per cent pay rise and a guarantee of no compulsory redundancies, while LU offered either a four-year 1.5 per cent deal followed by the inflation rate plus 0.5 per cent or a two-year deal of one per cent followed by inflation plus 0.5 per cent.

Should the strike proceed in just over an hour, AEG has arranged shuttles from Charlton until 12.30am for trains to Lewisham DLR, London Bridge, Waterloo and Charing Cross, while "extensive parking" will be provided on the peninsula and a full fleet of Clippers will run until midnight.

Transport for London will supply 29 extra buses to London Bridge and Waterloo and 10 buses toward Stratford via West Ham.

The DLR will have a normal service during the strike, and Oyster cards will be accepted on all National Rail journeys within Greater London.

An additional 100 buses will be run on key routes throughout the capital.

Canary Wharf Group sent an email to tenants today advising them of alternate routes to and from work. These include national rail from Waterloo, London Bridge or Charing Cross to meet the DLR line at Greenwich or Lewisham, and the North London line to Stratford from destinations such as Highbury and Islington and Kentish Town West.

While there are 960 bicycle stands in the Wharf and another 405 underground, cyclists will temporarily be able to park in three of the four raised corners of Cabot Square.

Taxis will also be operating a morning-peak "fixed fare, shared service" for central London destinations from London Bridge, Waterloo, Liverpool Street, Marylebone, Paddington and Euston.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: "The myriad of organisations and individuals that have already agreed to lay on free services, lead cycle rides, drive extra services and marshal shared taxi ranks exemplifies the united approach we will need.

"Londoners can be assured a tremendous amount is being done to keep them moving if a strike does happen."

Check tfl.gov.uk for updates.