Maintenance workers for Tube Lines are planning a series of strikes for higher wages. The maintenance workers are concerned by the 4.95% pay rise they were offered over the next two years, given that those employed by Metronet are getting a better deal. Two 72-hour strikes are planned to start on the 20th (next Wednesday) and 3 September, both at noon. Expect complications on the Northern, Jubilee, and Piccadilly lines. Meanwhile, the Tube cleaners network-wide......

Shepherd's Bush + transport woes: discuss. With a brand-new Overground station delayed by short platforms, it now turns out the controversial closure of the Central line station was in fact quite unnecessary. Local MP Andy Slaughter has discovered that the decision to close was made by LU, despite Metronet saying it could remain open during work. Meanwhile, passengers were fobbed off with a porky about it being "impossible to replace one escalator while the other......

At one minute past midnight this morning ailing-and-in-administration Metronet Rail, responsible for the maintenance of all but 3 Underground lines, finally transferred to TfL control. Metronet went under last July following an estimated £2bn overspend upgrading our beloved tube. Of course, the upgrade work will continue with TfL expecting to spend a cool £1.4bn in this financial year. It is hoped that with direct control over the maintenance company, TfL can better focus on......

Crippled clipper to get cash injection However, local boroughs are still passing round the begging bowl - and does anybody have a spare £250 million stuck behind the sofa to help out West End theatres? Caterwauling Kate's karaoke marathons not entirely popular with new neighbours Department for Transport rapped on the knuckles over Metronet's "spectacular failure" Girl and pa lash themselves to Japanese embassy in anti-whaling protest. Image courtesy of onionbagblogger via the Londonist......