Commuters using the Jubilee line at Canary Wharf during the strike
(Picture: PA)Furious central London business leaders condemned this week’s Tube strikes as a £100 million “kick in the teeth” that was a major setback to their efforts to recover from the pandemic.
The network was almost completely shut down on Tuesday by an RMT Tube workers’ walkout over pensions and jobs. It will be again largely halted by another 24-hour action on Thursday.
Rush-hour passengers Wednesday morning suffered further knock-on delays. Despite the hope of some services resuming by 7.30am, many found Tube stations locked.
Transport for London admitted train frequencies were unlikely to return to normal until nearer lunchtime. Further smaller-scale disruption is also expected early on Friday following Thursday’s strike.
Simon French, chief economist at brokers Panmure Gordon, estimated the impact on London’s economy to be about £50 million for each full day’s closure of the network.
It comes when restaurants, hotels, nightclubs and shops are desperate to make up the £80 billion of trade lost during the two years of Covid lockdowns and other restrictions.
Des Gunewardena, chief executive of restaurant group D&D London, said: “To allow this strike to go ahead is incredibly insensitive and irresponsible... and catastrophically bad for business.”
Restaurateur David Moore, owner of Michelin-starred Fitzrovia’s Pied A Terre, said bookings were down 80 per cent Tuesday. He said: “We’re all supposed to be pulling together after two years but it’s all ‘me, me, me’ with the union. It’s even worse that the union’s chosen two of the days that most people are working now. If it had been Monday and Friday it would have been far less impact but clearly they wanted to hurt everybody.”
Michael Kill, chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association, which represents bars and clubs, said: “I’m absolutely blown away by this, it’s just surreal. It’s going to be crippling if you bear in mind that people need to be operating at 110 per cent of pre-Covid just to maintain their position.”
Simon Thomas, chief executive of the Hippodrome casino in Leicester Square, said: “Presumably the strikers will still want a night out in central London when they’ve finished kicking us in the teeth and crowing at the disruption to the lives of millions. Despite their best efforts we’ll be providing timely service with a smile at a competitive price. Something the Tube has notable failed to do for years.”
An Uber spokeswoman said: “As a result of the strike action... We have capped the level that prices can surge.”
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said. “The disruption to business this week is solely down to the Government, with the support of the Labour London Mayor, seeking to drive a coach and horses through our members’ jobs and pensions.”
