Further talks aiming to keep London moving during the firefighters' strike took place on Friday.

Union leaders and London Underground managers met to discuss fire safety if next week's walkout by firefighters goes ahead.

LU managers insist the network will be safe to operate, but unions say commuters and workers will be at risk.

Nineteen of the Tube's deepest stations will be forced to close on strike days because they are only served by lifts.

Stations closed on strike days

Belsize Park Borough Caledonian Road Covent Garden Edgware Road (Bakerloo Line) Elephant & Castle Gloucester Road Goodge Street Hampstead Holland Park Kennington Lambeth North Lancaster Gate Mornington Crescent Queensway Regent's Park Russell Square Tufnell Park Wapping

The Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) union has warned there could be strikes by transport workers if they believe the emergency fire cover is inadequate.

BBC London's transport correspondent, Andrew Winstanley, says unions are encouraging their members not to work if they feel at risk.

He said: "They are saying that if you feel unsafe in your working environment then say to your manager you don't feel you can do your job and they are duty bound to look at the concerns of their members and it may well be that these people don't book on for work.

'Lives at risk'

"So although there's no official strike, many people may not actually work that day so there will be severe disruption to the service."

London's mayor Ken Livingstone has backed the right of individual rail and tube workers to walk out on safety grounds.

On Tuesday he warned that a fire strike would be a "disaster" for London and would put lives at risk.

The first 48-hour walkout by firefighters starts at 0900 GMT on 29 October.