Tube tries to take the strain

Tube bosses said yesterday they will be doing everything they can to make sure shoppers can get in and around London during today’s train drivers’ strike.

Transport for London (TfL) said services would be operating on most Underground lines but warned passengers that disruption was likely.

The train drivers’ union Aslef is stopping work on Boxing Day in a strike that has already led to the Premier League derby between Arsenal and West Ham United being postponed.

TfL has condemned Aslef “for completely unnecessary disruption to Londoners on Boxing Day”. The strike is over a row about bank holiday pay.