Strikes could take place on both Tube and rail services just before Christmas

Londoners, brace yourselves for Tube strikes

Strike actions on both Tube and mainline services could lead to travel chaos in the run up to Christmas, it has emerged.

A strike ballot has been announced for next Tuesday with up to 3,500 staff members involved. RMT leaders declared the news and the results are to be expected in two weeks time on the 15th November.

This has come only three days before Aslef Union will state the outcome of their already announced ballot among the 1,000 drivers on the Southern Rail lines. This will go ahead on the 18th November.

The leaders of both these unions are expecting great support but by law they must give seven days notice of any industrial action they wish to take, this will mean the first walkouts are expected to begin later next month.

Throughout all of this RMT said it would also ballot its drivers over continuing rows over changes to the role of the guard and increased driver-only operated trains (DOO). The results will also be on the 18th November.

Ballots from both unions could potentially shut down the entire Southern Rail service. Both of the ballots were revealed this month by The Evening Standard.

The London Underground could also be affected with a strike ballot of up 1,600 staff members over the failings to protect members from physical and verbal abuse by passengers.The TSSA union warned that the strike is “inevitable”.

The current Tube dispute is over jobs with the RMT claiming 873 jobs have been removed from the Underground leaving many staff unable to cope.

The next upcoming strikes by train guards will be held by Southern Rail Friday 4th November and Saturday 5th.