London's tube travellers will suffer chaos next week after union staff called a 24-hour strike.

The walkout was organised by rail union RMT - which represents 8,000 tube workers - and will take place from 8pm on Wednesday until 8pm the following day.

Timetables are expected to be severely disrupted and, at best, a skeleton service will be in operation.

Members will not clock on for shifts between these times in protest over safety issues on the Underground.

The union claims that London Underground has not negotiated properly with it about the Government's proposed Public Private Partnership (PPP).

An RMT spokesman said the PPP safety consultation presented by LU was a "sham and deeply flawed".

He added: "We warned London Underground that unless it showed willing to conduct a proper consultation we would ballot our members for strike action."

London Underground has called on RMT to reconsider its decision to strike.

Safety director Mike Strzelecki said: "After three years of detailed and extensive discussions with RMT safety representatives, it is simply not true to suggest that consultation has been inadequate.

"Back in May we asked the RMT to outline its specific concerns to us so that we could address them in a positive way. We have yet to receive any response."

Although the unions and London mayor <a href="http://http://www.thisisthelondonmayor.co.uk" target="_blank">Ken Livingstone</a> say PPP is unsafe, rail union Aslef is not taking part in the strike.

A spokesman said: "We share concerns with the RMT about safety and the PPP, but it is largely RMT members who will be transferred to new companies in the scheme."

July 17, 2002 12:30