Christmas strikes put Tube drivers straight on the naughty list

The article argues that eight planned RMT strike days between November and February, including three before Christmas, could strengthen support for making the London Underground driverless. It presents the strikes as a source of disruption for Londoners and retailers, and says repeated industrial action may make removing the role of Tube drivers more politically attractive.

The article says more than 160 days of Tube strike action have taken place under Mayor Sadiq Khan, over three times the total under his two predecessors combined. It states that eight Tube lines already use automated acceleration and braking, while full automation would require upgrades including new signalling, trains and platform edge doors. TfL estimated that automating three older lines would cost £20 billion, but the piece suggests proposed business-rate devolution and new borrowing could make funding easier.