Talks aimed at averting a series of strikes by London Underground workers are to be held over the next few days, raising hopes that travel chaos may be averted.
Tens of thousands of supporters of Cardiff City and Barnsley football clubs will be among those caught up in disruption as the walk-out is due to start shortly after the end of this Sunday's FA Cup semi-final between the two clubs at Wembley Stadium.
Up to 7,500 members of the Rail Maritime and Transport Union and the Transport Salaried Staffs Association will strike from 6.30pm on Sunday evening until 6.30pm the following Wednesday unless a row over a series of safety-related issues is resolved.
The unions have warned that plans for ticket office closures, de-staffing, lone working and the introduction of "mobile supervisors" amounted to an attack on safety standards.
London Underground said the issue had nothing to do with safety and stressed that not a single job was at risk.
The company said all the issues raised by the unions were being addressed and claimed that "significant progress" had already been made.
Supporters clubs from Cardiff and Barnsley have warned of "confusion and chaos" if tens of thousands of football fans have to find alternative ways of returning home from the capital after the Wembley game.
