London Underground is delaying the launch of the service to extend talks with the unions.

London Underground has issued a official statement on the recent delay of the city’s Night Tube service, saying that it is putting the launch date back “allow more time” for talks with the unions, the BBC reports.

LU managing director Nick Brown said: “Further to the progress made in recent days with the trade unions and the suspension of strike action, we believe we are not far from an agreement that protects the work-life balance of our employees and is affordable, sustainable and fair.

“As such, we have decided to defer the introduction of Night Tube to allow more time for those talks to conclude. Our objective is to reach an agreement that ends this dispute and delivers the Night Tube for Londoners this autumn.”

Despite the cancellation of two one-day strikes this week as part of a campaign for working conditions related to the service, the RMT has set two new strike dates of September 8 and 10 if an agreement is not reached.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: “RMT welcomes this move, which is what we have been calling for ever since we went into dispute over the night Tube issue.

“We warned repeatedly that it would be dangerous and foolish to press ahead with bodged night Tube plans until the very basics in terms of staffing and safety had been agreed with the unions through the long-established frameworks.”

The Night Tube was originally scheduled to launch on September 12. The announcement of the service in 2013 was welcomed by London’s night-time industries, who expect the increased ease of travel around the city to boost attendance to the city’s nightclubs.