Strikes by London Underground workers planned for Monday, January 6 until Thursday, January 11 will no longer take place.
The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union announced on Sunday (January 7) that it had suspended its planned action after talks with Transport for London (TfL).
The action was expected to severely disrupt travel in the capital, meaning that Londoners would have had "little to no" service on Tube lines.
So why were the Tube strikes cancelled and are there any further ones planned?
Why were Tube strikes cancelled?
Mick Lynch, the RMT general secretary, said the planned strikes had been called off following productive talks with TfL.
“Following further positive discussions today, the negotiations on a pay deal for our London Underground members can now take place on an improved basis and mandate with significant further funding for a settlement being made available," Mr Lynch said.
“This significantly improved funding position means the scheduled strike action will be suspended with immediate effect and we look forward to getting into urgent negotiations with TfL in order to develop a suitable agreement and resolution to the dispute.”
As reported by the Guardian, RMT members had voted to strike over a pay rise due in April 2023. TfL has offered a 5% increase.
TfL said the last-minute decision to suspend the strikes had been made because Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, had discovered "additional funds" that had not before been accessible.
A TfL representative said: “Last week, we discussed our pay offer extensively with the three trade unions that had rejected it, making clear that TfL cannot afford any more. This remains the case.
“Today, we were made aware that the mayor was able to provide additional funds to enable discussions with the unions to continue. We have all consistently made clear that strike action is bad for everyone and would have a negative impact on the city as it recovers from the pandemic.”
Mr Khan on Sunday posted on X, formerly known as Twitter: “This week’s Tube strikes have now been suspended. Londoners and visitors to our city will no longer face several days of disruption. This shows what can be achieved by engaging with trade unions and transport staff rather than working against them.”
TfL has warned that there may still be delays on the Tube network this week due to the last-minute cancellation of the strikes. BBC News reported that on Monday morning, there were minor delays on the Central Line due to a shortage of trains.
Check your route before travelling to make sure your journey will not be disrupted.
Are more strikes planned?
There are no planned rail strikes in London, National Rail says.
But more disruptions are likely soon unless the Government and trade unions agree on pay offers.
Tube drivers on Monday demanded a 12% pay rise after Mr Khan decided to use £30 million of taxpayers’ cash to avert the week of strikes on the London Underground.
