Election week Tube strikes planned

Londoners could once again face these scenes if the planned strikes go ahead

Tube workers are planning two more strikes in the run up to the general election.

Twenty-four hour stoppages are set to take place on 4 June and 6 June as part of a long-running dispute over jobs and safety.

The strikes, involving its 7,000 members, were announced on Wednesday by the Rail Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) following the breakdown of talks at the conciliation service Acas.

Rail commuters are also set to be hit by a series of strikes announced by guards on South West Trains which runs services across southern England and London.

They will hold a day of action this Friday, and will also walk out on 18, 25 and 29 May.

The action follows the breakdown of industrial relations.

Most of the 1,700 trains run each day are expected to be affected.

The RMT has been in dispute with both South West Trains and London Underground over recent months.

Last week's planned Tube strike was called off, as was a walk out planned for next Tuesday.

But union bosses were unhappy with the deal proposed by management to end the dispute over jobs and security under the proposed public-private partnership and decided on the fresh wave of strikes.

London Underground said it would meet the union for talks next week and would try to persuade the RMT not to go ahead with the strikes planned for the week of the election.