A 48-hour strike on the London Underground is almost certain to take place after talks between company bosses and unions ended without resolution.

The RMT union has called on its members to walkout from 19:00 BST on Tuesday until 19:00 BST on Thursday this week.

Drivers, station staff and engineers are all due to go on strike, which, when combined with the fact that non-RMT staff will refuse to cross picket lines, will bring the tube network to a standstill.

The cost of more than 3.5 million people who use the underground having to work from home or not work at all for two days is estimated at £100 million.

London Underground and the RMT had been locked in last-ditch talks to resolve the issues surrounding the strike, which focus on low pay and job insecurity.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow wants a five per cent pay increase for all members and 1,000 redundancies to be scrapped.

This week London Underground came to the table with a four-year deal worth 1.5 per cent in year one and rate of inflation plus 0.5 per cent in subsequent years, or an alternative two-year deal of one per cent now and 0.5 per cent in year two.

However, both were dismissed as “poverty pay” by the RMT.

The tube’s interim managing director Richard Parry said it was a “very fair offer”.

“There is now no reason whatsoever for the RMT leadership to continue to call for strike action,” he said.

“They should call it off immediately and join all other unions in continuing with constructive talks to conclude this agreement.”