A Tube dispute, which caused two strikes, could be settled after a new deal has been reached.

More than 4,000 station staff will vote on the proposal agreed after five days of talks.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union said plans to implement a shorter work week now met its safety concerns.

Union leaders ordered two strikes over fears that new rotas for the 35-hour work week would leave some stations "dangerously understaffed".

The actions on New Year's Eve and last Monday forced some stations to close. But as many RMT members chose to work nonetheless, the strike had little effect on the Tube overall.

London Underground chief Tim O'Toole said the new deal "is exactly the same as it was before the RMT strike action".

He added: "The only purpose the strikes served was to inconvenience Londoners."

Tube bosses have maintained throughout the row that the new rotas, to be implemented on February 5, would not affect safety.

RMT members will vote on the deal in a referendum ending on January 27.

London mayor Ken Livingstone said his transport leaders wanted to break the pattern of annual disputes, with strike threats before every New Year's Eve.

To do this, Tube bosses are about to negotiate a three-year deal on pay and conditions.

Union culture should change to one where strike action is a "weapon of last resort", instead of "an opening shot", Mr Livingstone added. Over the past three years "no trade union has won any advance" by strike action.