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The introduction of London’s Night Tube service, due to start on September 12, has been postponed to allow more talks with unions.
The overnight weekend service was due to enter service to coincide with the start of the Rugby World Cup.
But the plans have angered unions which have staged two walkouts and threatened a third next month after postponing industrial action this week.
London Underground (LU) said: “Practical arrangements for the introduction of the Night Tube are now in place.
“However, as we continue discussions with our trade unions on rosters this means that it will not now be possible to agree these and communicate them to staff in time for the Night Tube to be launched on 12 September.”
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.’
The plans call for regular weekend night-time services operating on the Tube for the first time in its 150-year history.
Trains are planned to run on Friday and Saturday nights on the Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria lines.