Measures to keep London on the move during the firefighters' strike will be discussed at an emergency meeting of the board of Transport for London (TfL).

London Underground says it will have to close 19 of the Tube's deepest stations on strike days because they are only served by lifts.

Also on Wednesday, the Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) union is to meet health and safety officials to discuss whether the network would remain safe during a fire brigade strike.

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

Union warning

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

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 RMT union has warned there could be strikes by transport workers if they believe the emergency fire cover is inadequate.

"If our safety reps think it is not safe, they will not work and we will support them," a spokesman said.

Mr Livingstone supports the union and urged London Underground to take a "relaxed attitude" towards any such walkout, or risk escalating industrial action.

He has also backed firefighters' demands for more money and called for further negotiations between managers and the Fire Brigades' Union.

Mainline services

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

The TfL meeting will be looking in particular at London's road tunnels and how to keep traffic flowing in the event of accidents and breakdowns.

Mainline stations and services should not be affected by the firefighters' industrial action.

Talks have already been held between Railtrack, the Association of Train Operating Companies (Atoc), the Health and Safety Executive and Railway Safety - the industry advisory agency.