No-show Tube drivers condemned by Government

Downing Street has condemned the disruption to services on the London Underground because of the firefighters' strike.

The Government says it is up to the management to consider disciplinary action against the staff involved.

Tube travellers have suffered long delays and disruption as services were cancelled after drivers refused to work because of safety fears caused by the dispute.

London Underground said a number of drivers had refused to report for duty, affecting a number of tube lines, including the Waterloo & City route, which was totally suspended.

There were also long delays on the Piccadilly Line, which is normally used by 650,000 passengers every day, while hold-ups were also reported on the Northern line, which carries about 700,000 people daily.

Rail unions have said they would support any members who refused to work because of safety fears and those of their passengers during the 48-hour strike but Tony Blair was said to be against the disruption and urged a deal to be struck.

Mr Blair's official spokesman said: "It is for the London Underground management to sit down with the unions in this instance and to decide what measures they need to take to ensure the Tube network continues to function."

The Health and Safety Executive had issued guidance last October which made clear that the increased risk to the Underground network in the event of a fire strike was "extremely small", he added.

There would be "no justification" for staff on the mainline rail network to take similar action to the Tube workers who were refusing to work, he warned.

"It hasn't spread to the railways. There is no reason for it to do so," the spokesman stated.