Bus passengers in north London and Essex face major disruption today and tomorrow as Arriva drivers walk out over a heatwave row, affecting 42 Transport for London (TfL) routes, including two Superloop routes and four night bus services. The strike began at 4am today and will run until 4:30am tomorrow, with TfL warning of 'little or no service' on affected routes.
All 42 routes affected by the strike
The industrial action, announced by Unite the union last week, involves drivers from eight garages: Barking, Edmonton, Enfield, Grays, Palmers Green, Stamford Hill, Tottenham, and Wood Green. The affected routes include 19, 29, 34, 41, 66, 67, 76, 102, 121, 141, 149, 150, 158, 175, 191, 192, 217, 221, 243, 248, 254, 259, 279, 307, 313, 329, 341, 349, 370, 375, 377, 616, 675, SL1, SL2, W3, W4, W6, N19, N29, N41, and N279.
Key routes include the 29 between Wood Green and Trafalgar Square, the 149 between Edmonton Green and London Bridge, and the Superloop SL1 between Walthamstow and North Finchley. Night bus services N19, N29, N41, and N279 are also affected, running into Saturday morning.
Why are drivers striking?
The dispute centers on working conditions in buses during repeated heatwaves, with temperatures approaching 40C. Unite said some drivers have suffered heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and dehydration this summer. The union accused Arriva North London, a TfL contractor, of failing to act on complaints about conditions, noting that most London buses have air cooling systems that only reduce temperatures by a couple of degrees, with cab temperatures reaching 40 degrees during recent hot spells.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: 'Time and time again drivers have complained to Arriva North London about working in dangerous conditions but the company has failed to act which is completely unacceptable. A profitable company such as Arriva could easily invest in improving conditions for its drivers and protecting the general public but is instead prioritising greed. We will back our members all the way in this dispute.'
Arriva and TfL respond
Wasim Mohammed, Arriva London managing director, told Metro: 'We take the welfare of our drivers seriously and understand the impact of this extreme weather on them. We are working closely with Transport for London to support both our colleagues and customers during these hot spells. We’ve introduced short-term measures to protect drivers, and we’re investing in longer-term fixes, including cab air conditioning upgrades and our ongoing investment in new fleet. We remain ready to sit down with Unite at any time to discuss these important issues and find a resolution that avoids both strike action and the disruption it would cause to customers.'
A TfL spokesperson said the strike action is expected to hit local bus routes in north and some central London areas, but the majority of the capital’s bus network will operate as planned on strike days. Some routes could be busier than usual, and passengers should plan ahead and allow extra time for journeys. 'We encourage both parties to find a solution to this dispute and we’re sorry for any disruption to people’s journeys,' TfL added.
Further strike dates and Tube closures
Additional strikes have been announced between now and October, including August 18–21, August 25–28, September 4–5, September 7–8, September 18–19, September 21–22, October 2–3, October 5–6, October 16–17, and October 19–20. Some walkouts coincide with planned Piccadilly line closures for upgrades, scheduled for August 18–20, August 25–27, September 18–20, and October 16–18. London mayor Sadiq Khan has said drivers should not work in unsafe conditions, telling LBC in June: 'Let me speak directly to bus drivers – if your cabin is too hot, I’ve given TFL permission, and told the bus operators, you must not be driving that bus.'
