Following a breakthrough in negotiations, RMT cancelled their planned strike for early November. But that doesn’t spell the end of next week’s Tube strikes. Aslef is still planning on walking out and operating with overtime bans. This means that there will be extreme disruptions, or no Tube services at all, on November 7 and 12.
By now, most of us have found ways to navigate around strikes (or at least use it as an excuse to stay home), but they can still catch even the most experienced Londoner unawares at times. With action set to impact travel from this weekend onwards, here’s our train strike guide to get you navigating your way across London with ease.
Which services are affected by the strike?
Asleft strike action will affect the entire London Underground on the following dates:
- Thursday, November 7: No Tube service.
- Tuesday, November 12: Severe disruption expected. Services that do run will start late and finish early.
There are no strikes planned for other TfL services during this period, but other transport options will likely be very busy. Additionally, some DLR, London Overground, and Elizabeth Line trains may not stop at certain stations due to station closures.
Commuters are advised to plan ahead, check line statuses, and allow extra time for travel.
Why is there a strike?
Strike action is taking place amidst concerns and disputes regarding pay and working issues, such as long hours.
For a more detailed breakdown, read our guide to the November strike action.
Said Finn Brennan, Aslef’s full-time organiser on London Underground:
“We don’t want to make travelling in and around the capital more difficult for passengers and we don’t want to lose a day’s pay – but we have been forced into this position because LU management won’t sit down properly and negotiate with us.
“Our members voted by over 98% in favour of strike action, but underground management are still refusing to even discuss key elements of our claim. They refuse to discuss any reduction in the working week or introducing paid meal relief to bring underground drivers in line with those on the Elizabeth line and London Overground.”
Are Overground and DLR services affected by the train strike?
No. There are no strikes planned to impact the DLR or London Overground services. There may, however, be some disruption from station closures in the case of stations that also serve London Underground lines. You can also expect these services to be much busier than usual due to increased demand.
Is the Elizabeth line running?
Yes. There is no strike action planned for the Elizabeth line. However, it may be affected by station closures and increased usage, as above.
It is likely that trains may not stop at stations in Central London. Additionally, passengers may be required to get off at Paddington, Liverpool Street, or Whitechapel and continue their journey using an alternative method.
Are the buses running?
Buses are running, but will likely be much busier than usual.
The London tram services and IFS Cloud Cable Car services are also expected to run normally.
How else can I get around London?
The Santander Cycles are available for hire as usual, although it might be a little trickier than usual to grab one, with more people using them. There’s also Dott, HumanForest, Lime Bikes, and TIER. And, of course, there are also those handy little e-scooters available for hire across London.
Even more ways to get around
River boat services – like Uber Boat – will also be running so you can add some river views to your commute if you’d like.
If you’re relying on the power of walking to get around, you can refer to this nifty map, which shows the number of steps between each tube station.
Finally, London’s fleet of black cabs and ride-hailing services (such as Bolt and Uber) are all running. However, we suspect there might be some surge pricing happening on the apps as the demand for rides increases. Good luck out there!