London faces more strikes this week as the dispute over plans to introduce a voluntary four-day working week for Tube drivers continues.
Passengers are likely to experience disruption across all Tube lines from Tuesday to Friday. The first 24-hour walkout will begin at midday on Tuesday, with disruption continuing into the afternoon and possibly the evening of Wednesday. Drivers will then walk out again at midday on Thursday, with disruption lasting until Friday.
It comes after a similar set of strikes last month by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, who say the proposals for a compressed working week raise “serious concerns” about shift length and “resulting fatigue impacting safety”. Transport for London (TfL) has described the latest planned action as “disappointing” and stressed that the four-day working week is “entirely voluntary” and “designed to improve work-life balance”.
New UpdatesView PostView PostView PostView PostView PostView PostToday11:16 BST
Transport for London (TfL) says the following Tube services are expected on each day of the week:
Tuesday (May 19) and Thursday (May 21)
- Morning – normal services until mid-morning
- Mid morning – some disruption to journeys as services reduced ahead of strike starting
- After midday – disruption to journeys on all lines continuing through the following day and Tube services that do run will finish early
Wednesday (May 20) and Friday (May 22)
- Morning – disruption to journeys on all lines. Tube services that do run will start later than normal
- After midday – some continued disruption to journeys throughout the afternoon and evening as TfL returns the service to normal
- Evening – normal service
Eliana NunesToday10:41 BST
The graph belows shows how this week’s strike action is expected to impact Tube services.
The red symbol indicates that services will finish early or start late, while the yellow symbol indicates disruption to journeys.
A graph shows how strike action will affect Tube services(Image: Transport for London)
Tube strikes are planned on the following dates:
- Tuesday 19 to Wednesday 20 May
- Thursday 21 to Friday 22 May
- Tuesday 16 June to Wednesday 17 June
- Thursday 18 June to Friday 19 June
Ethan BlackshawToday10:00 BST
Transport for London (TfL) has advised Tube passengers to check before they travel and plan ahead using the following travel tools:
- The TfL Go live Tube map app
- Journey Planner, which helps plan routes by public transport, cycling or walking
- Status updates for Tube, rail and trams
- Status updates for buses and traffic
- The Nearby function, which shows nearby Tube, bus, rail and Santander Cycles locations on a map
Eliana NunesToday09:25 BST
The Elizabeth line, DLR, London Overground, buses and Trams will be running as normal, Transport for London has said.
However, these services are expected to be busier than normal as passengers take alternative routes.
Eliana NunesToday09:19 BST
There is currently a good service on most London Undergound and Overground lines.
However, there are minor delays on the District line between Earl’s Court and Ealing Broadway and between Earl’s Court and Richmond due to an earlier faulty train at Bromley-By-Bow.
The Victoria line is also experiencing minor delays due to an earlier faulty train at Highbury & Islington.
The Windrush line, which is operated by London Overground, is suspended between Clapham Junction and Surrey Quays due to a points failure at Denmark Hill.
There are delays on the District and Victoria lines(Image: Transport for London)
London Underground drivers are expected to walk out for 24-hour periods on the following dates:
May
- Tuesday, May 19, to Wednesday, May 20
- Thursday, May 21, to Friday, May 22
June
- Tuesday, June 16, to Wednesday, June 17
- Thursday, June 18, to Friday, June 19
Eliana NunesToday08:58 BST
Two further 24-hour Tube strikes are currently scheduled for June 16 and June 18 if an agreement is not reached between Transport for London bosses and members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union.
Tube drivers are set to strike in June(Image: PA)
ASLEF – another trade union representing Tube drivers – has agreed to the voluntary four-day week, saying it gives drivers an extra 35 days off a year “in return for some fairly minor changes to working conditions”.
“It will be the first strike in the history of the trade union movement designed to stop people having a shorter working week and more time off,” an ASLEF spokesperson said.
ASLEF represents just over half of London’s Tube drivers.
Eliana NunesToday08:40 BST
The industrial action, called by the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, is related to a dispute over plans to introduce a voluntary four-day working week, which would condense Tube drivers’ weekly hours.
The RMT union has called the plan “fake” and said it raised “serious concerns from our members about shift length and resulting fatigue impacting safety”.
RMT General Secretary Eddie Dempsey said union members had “approached negotiations with Transport for London (TfL) in good faith” but “TfL seem unwilling to make any concessions”.
Claire Mann, TfL’s chief operating officer, defended the proposal, saying it would allow drivers an extra day off and bring the Underground “in line with the working patterns of other train operating companies”.
“The changes would be voluntary,” she said. “There would be no reduction in contractual hours and those who wish to continue a five-day working week pattern would be able to do so.”
Eliana NunesToday08:26 BST
A spokesperson for the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union said: “Despite promises of talks, TfL has not made any attempt to engage in negotiation meetings to resolve this dispute.
“London Underground is still pushing implementation plans through a forum that excludes senior managers and union officials, instead of engaging in proper negotiations. Our strike action remains on as we continue to seek a negotiated settlement.”
RMT members at the Queen’s park depot picket line on April 21(Image: Zhanna Manukyan/PA Wire)
Last month, two 24-hour walkouts took place, affecting services from April 21 (Tuesday) until April 24 (Friday).
As Transport for London (TfL) had warned, the strikes caused significant travel disruption across the capital.
Impact of previous strikes on ridership(Image: Transport for London)
Transport for London (TfL) has said that while service is expected on most Tube lines, passengers are likely to experience disruption on all Tube lines.
No service is expected on the Circle and Piccadilly lines or the Metropolitan line between Baker Street and Aldgate and the Central line between White City and Liverpool Street.
Other TfL services, including the Elizabeth line and London Overground, are also expected to run but will be busier than usual.
Passengers are advised to check before travelling for the latest real-time information using the TfL Go app or website.
Eliana NunesToday08:12 BST
Two 24-hour walkouts will take place, with the first kicking off at 12pm on Tuesday, causing disruption into Wednesday, and the second at 12pm on Thursday, with disruption continuing into Friday.
According to Transport for London (TfL), the following services are expected on each day of industrial action:
- On Tuesday (May 19), normal services are expected until mid-morning. Services will then begin to reduce and passengers should expect disruption to Tube journeys for the remainder of the day, with services finishing earlier than normal.
- On Wednesday (May 20), ongoing disruption is expected in the morning, with services starting later than normal. Services are expected to increase from mid-day, but disruption to Tube journeys is expected throughout the afternoon and into the evening.
- On Thursday (May 21), normal services are expected until mid-morning. Services will then begin to reduce and passengers should expect disruption to Tube journeys for the remainder of the day, with services finishing earlier than normal.
- On Friday (May 22), ongoing disruption is expected in the morning, with services starting later than normal. Services are expected to increase from mid-day, but disruption to Tube journeys is expected throughout the afternoon and into the evening.
Eliana NunesToday08:09 BST
Tube drivers – represented by the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union – are set to take strike action on the Tube network this week between Tuesday (May 19) and Friday (May 22).
Eliana NunesToday08:08 BST
Claire Mann, chief operating officer at Transport for London (TfL), has said:
“It is disappointing that the RMT is planning this strike action despite our best efforts to resolve this dispute. We have been clear that our proposals for a four-day week are designed to improve work-life balance and are entirely voluntary.
“Any Tube driver who doesn’t wish to opt in to the new, four-day working pattern and associated changes to working arrangements can remain on a five-day working pattern. We have also said many times in discussions that we believe the majority of the issues that have been raised would be resolved with more detailed work.
“A significant number of drivers have indicated that they want us to progress plans for the pilot of this new working pattern on the Bakerloo line, and it would deliver benefits both for our colleagues and our customers. 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.”