Train drivers' union to go ahead with London underground strike

LONDON (Reuters) - London is set for another day of huge transport disruption on Thursday after train drivers' union ASLEF said it would go ahead with a planned 24-hour strike on the London Underground rail network.

The strike, the second in less than a month over plans to introduce a new night service from September, will start at 9:30 pm on Wednesday.

Other, smaller, rail workers' unions are expected to join the action.

Their first strike over the night service brought the London "Tube" - used by some four million people a day - to a complete halt and caused traffic mayhem in the British capital.

Last month, the unions rejected a final offer which included an average 2 percent pay rise, a 2,000 pound "transition bonus" for night-time drivers and a 500-pound one-off payment.

London Underground bosses have since made an improved offer but ASLEF said in a statement on Monday: "the overwhelming view of our members is that this offer is not acceptable."

It said management had refused to postpone the introduction of night services from Sept. 12.

"This leaves us with no other choice than to go ahead with strike action ...," it added.

There was no immediate comment from London Underground. Its chief operating officer Steve Griffiths said last month the offer was "very fair and reasonable."

(Reporting by Stephen Addison; editing by William Schomberg)