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2022-07-23 01:39:48 By : Mr. WEI WANG

The Northern line's night Tube services are set to return for the first time in two years from Saturday, July 2.

Transport for London (TfL) has announced it is reinstating the service on the line, after they were suspended in March 2020 due to the Covid pandemic.

Night Tube services returned to the Central and Victoria lines last November 2021, and to the Jubilee Line in May.

Night Tube services will return to the Piccadilly line this summer, TfL said. 

The Northern line night Tube will serve the Edgware, High Barnet, Charing Cross and Morden branches as it did prior to the pandemic, meaning trains will not run on the Mill Hill East, Battersea Power Station and Bank branches, the transport operator added. 

The frequency of trains was doubled to 12 trains per hour at peak day times on the Northern line's Kennington to Battersea Power Station branch from Monday 27 June. 

London Mayor Sadiq Khan welcomed the Northern line night Tube's reopening.

He said: "This is another landmark moment in the capital's recovery from the pandemic - and fantastic news for Londoners and visitors who want to enjoy the capital's incredible nightlife, safe in the knowledge that they will be able to get the Northern line home. 

"It means that night Tube services have now returned on the Central, Victoria and Jubilee lines, delivering not only a huge economic boost for our world-renowned night time economy but also making a huge difference to people who want to travel around our city at night." 

When are the Night Tube strikes, which lines do they affect, and what times?

Since early this year, the Central and Victoria lines' night services have been affected by a series of ongoing strikes every weekend due to a row over night Tube rosters.

RMT union member TfL workers working on the Jubilee line also joined the night Tube strike in May.

Night Overground services between Highbury & Islington and New Cross Gate returned in late December.

The RMT strike action across night Tube services over new rosters is ongoing and will continue until 4 December when RMT's current mandate expires.

However TfL said the strikes are causing 'minimal' disruption to services, and operators are managing to consistently running a good service on the Victoria and Jubilee lines on weekend nights.

There is also a regular service on the Central line with at least two trains per hour through central London during the strike period.

Why are night Tube workers striking?

The dispute is centred over Tube driver rosters, with the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) raising fears on the impact on 'work-life balance.'  

During the Night Tube strikes, RMT union members will not book on for any duties commencing from 8.30pm each Friday until 4.30am the following day, and will also strike from 8.30pm on Saturdays until 4.30am on Sundays.

RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch said at the time the strikes were announced in January that union members were fighting for "progressive and family friendly working practices." The union is disputing rota changes arising after 200 driver posts were axed during the pandemic.

The union has said its members are concerned about how drivers' work-life balance will be affected by additional weekend and overnight hours. All other Tube lines continues to operate between approximately 5.30am and 12:30am through central London from Monday to Saturday. 

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