Disruption loomed for sports fans and shoppers in London on Boxing Day after the High Court rejected a legal attempt to stop a planned 24-hour strike by tube drivers. London Underground had asked the court to outlaw the strike by members of the Aslef union who are demanding more pay. But Mr Justice Eder ruled the stoppage could go ahead, the Press Association reported Thursday. Of the tube network’s 3,500 drivers, 2,200 are in Aslef.

 More stoppages are planned for January 16, February 3 and February 13. “We will run as many Tube services as we can and extra buses will operate on the busiest bus routes,” said Howard Collins, LU’s Chief Operating Officer. Premier League football club Arsenal has postponed its Boxing Day home match against Wolverhampton Wanderers by 24 hours because of the strike.