Latest travel strike widens industry losses to over £5bn, NTIA says

The Night Time Industries Association’s CEO, Michael Kill, has warned that the latest transport strike action has widened hospitality sector revenue losses to more than £5bn.  

News follows the recent industrial action announced by the ASLEF union and London Underground, which ran from 5 April until today (8 April) and included a six-day ban on overtime. 

According to Kill, the strike posed significant challenges to the night-time economy and hospitality sectors, compounding existing economic hardships. 

Kill said: “The continuation of industrial action is without doubt taking its toll on businesses and has added to the current challenges faced by the sector. This cannot continue if we are to build back and recover from what feels like a four-year hangover.”

Kill has emphasised the critical state of the industry, citing significant revenue losses, high operating costs, and increased taxation as the factors leading to thousands of business closures. 

As a result, he urges the government to intervene to address the crisis, reiterating the proposed reduction in VAT for hospitality and night-time economy businesses to provide financial relief.

The NTIA has also encouraged the ASLEF union and London Underground drivers to “consider the broader consequences of their actions and seek solutions that protect member welfare and local business viability”.