It was announced today, 16 October, that London tube drivers will go on strike on 7 and 12 November.

While this will not affect people using South Western Railway Trains, it could impact locals who need to use the tube to travel in and around Central London.

Many Kingston residents work in Central London or enjoy visiting it at the weekend, and commute to central by using the South Western Railway trains from either Kingston or Surbiton to central stations like Waterloo before using the tube to travel elsewhere in Central.

These commuters will have to find alternative ways to travel in and around central on strike days.

As well as Tube drivers, instructors, management grade staff and those in the engineering section are to take action.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) has also announced industrial action by its members next month.

Aslef said train operators and management grade staff would strike on 7 and 12 November, and those in the engineering section for 24 hours from 18:00 GMT on 1 November.

Transport for London (TfL) said the action by Aslef and the RMT was "disappointing", but it remained engaged with the unions.

Finn Brennan, Aslef's full-time organiser on London Underground, said: "We don't want to go on strike – we don't want to make travelling in and around the capital more difficult for passengers and we don't want to lose a day's pay – but we have been forced into this position because [London Underground] management won't sit down properly and negotiate with us."

The union said its Tube train driver members "overwhelmingly" backed taking industrial action, with 98.8% voting in favour on a turnout of 68%.

Aslef is seeking a pay agreement with London Underground, which has offered a 3.8% pay rise and a variable lump sum.

Brennan said the offer would leave members on a lower salary than drivers on other TfL services, such as the Elizabeth line and Overground.

The RMT also announced that its members, including signalling and station staff, would walk out on different days between 1 and 8 November after rejecting a "wholly inadequate" pay offer.

The union said some progress was made in negotiations but maintained that the current proposal left a large number of staff excluded from collective bargaining.