Tube strikes to hit London this week – What you need to know
Key Points
- Tube drivers are going on strike again over the proposed implementation of a four-day working week, causing extensive disruption across the Tube network.
- Strike days are set for Tuesday and Thursday, but disruption is expected for most of the week.
- TfL has provided a day-by-day account of the expected disruptions to Underground services and warned customers to check up-to-date travel information before their journey.
- Elizabeth line, DLR, Trams, and Overground services will be unaffected, but are expected to be much busier than usual.
Tube drivers are set to take strike action this week, causing major disruption across the London Underground network.
Transport for London (TfL) has warned customers to plan ahead as it faces another round of strike action from RMT members, who plan to take strike action on Tuesday 19 and Thursday 21 May.
The result of this week’s strike is that Tube services are expected to be severely disrupted from Tuesday to Friday, with all lines set to be affected.
TfL said that during the strikes, no service is expected on the Circle line, Piccadilly line, and parts of the Metropolitan and Central lines.
All strikes run from 12:00 midday to 12:00 midday the following day, but disruption will continue into the afternoons and evenings of strike days.
As the strike action is expected to take effect from midday on Tuesday and Thursday, normal services are expected on these days until mid-morning. They will then reduce and will be severely disrupted due to the strike.
On Wednesday and Friday morning, customers should expect ongoing disruptions. Services will start later than normal and should recover as the day progresses, but will still be disrupted compared with normal services.
TfL advised customers to check their route for disruptions and delays before travelling.
London Underground strike disruptions
- Tuesday 19 – Friday 22 May
- Lines affected: Bakerloo, Central, Circle, District, Hammersmith & City, Jubilee, Metropolitan, Northern, Piccadilly, Victoria, Waterloo & City
- Lines unaffected: Elizabeth, DLR, Trams, Overground services
- Services will be disrupted throughout the week, and bus services may also be impacted by bus strikes in East London.
Day-by-day tube strike impact
TfL has also provided a day-by-day outline of its expected disruptions to services to help customers plan around the impact of the strike action.
It said that on Tuesday and Thursday, normal services would run in the morning, some disruption would impact mid-morning services, and after midday disruption will be extensive.
On Wednesday and Friday, services will be disrupted in the morning and will be restored throughout the day, with normal service in the evening.
The image below outlines the expected day-by-day impact of the strike action on tube services.
The strike action coordinated by RMT workers is over the introduction of a compressed four-day working week on tube drivers.
The workers see this plan as an attempt by TfL to compress a normal working week into four days, despite the proposals being rejected by train operators.
The RMT said its members are concerned over shift lengths, unacceptable working time arrangements, transfer and allocation processes, and the potential impact on fatigue and safety.
TfL has maintained its proposals are opt-in programmes aimed at improving work-life balance for tube drivers.
“It is disappointing that the RMT is planning this strike action despite our best efforts to resolve this dispute,” said TfL Chief Operating Officer Claire Mann.
“We have been clear that our proposals for a four-day week are designed to improve work-life balance and are entirely voluntary.”
“We urge the RMT to work with us so we can resolve this dispute. In the meantime, we are asking customers to check before they travel and allow plenty of extra time for their journeys,” Mann said.
During the most recent wave of strike action over this same issue, TfL said it managed to operate good service levels across the network, with more than half of normal demand observed on the Tube every day.
