Commuters and weekend travellers across London are facing significant disruption as a series of planned closures and industrial action hit the Transport for London (TfL) network. From Friday, January 9, through to Sunday, January 11, essential maintenance and track work will shut down sections of two Tube lines, two London Overground routes, and parts of the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) and Elizabeth line.
Tube and Rail Line Closures: What You Need to Know
The disruption will affect passengers in boroughs including Newham, Camden, Westminster, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, and Islington. On the London Underground, the Hammersmith & City line will have no service between Plaistow and Barking on Sunday, January 11, from 10am until 6pm. The Jubilee line faces a double blow: no Night Tube service between Finchley Road and Stratford on Friday night, followed by a full daytime closure between Green Park and Stratford all day Saturday and Sunday.
Overground services will be heavily impacted. The Mildmay line (formerly the North London line) will be closed between Gospel Oak and both Richmond and Shepherd's Bush all weekend. Additionally, there will be no late-night service between Stratford and Camden Road after 10.15pm on Sunday. On the Windrush line (East London line), trains will not stop at Canada Water station throughout the weekend, including on Night Overground services.
Other rail services are also affected. The DLR will not run between Tower Gateway and Shadwell on Saturday and Sunday. Early birds on the Elizabeth line face disruption on Sunday morning, with no service between West Drayton and Maidenhead until 8.45am. Separate Network Rail engineering work will also halt early morning services between Hillingdon and Maidenhead.
Bus Strikes Compound Travel Misery
Adding to the travel chaos, a bus drivers' strike will severely affect routes in East and Northeast London. More than 300 Stagecoach drivers based at the Lea Interchange Bus Garage in Leyton will walk out on Friday, January 9, and Saturday, January 10.
The industrial action, led by the Unite union, is part of an ongoing dispute over allegations of 'union busting and bullying' following a recent management change. Passengers have been warned to expect "little to no service" on 12 key bus routes, with another route facing severe delays and cancellations.
The bus routes impacted by the strike are: 58, 97, 135, 257, 308, 339, 488, D8, W13, W14, W15, and 386. Route 86 will run but is expected to have significant delays and potential cancellations.
Planning Your Alternative Journey
TfL is advising passengers to check before they travel and has suggested alternative routes. For the Hammersmith & City line closure, passengers should use the parallel District line services. Those affected by Jubilee line closures are advised to use other Tube lines, National Rail services, or replacement buses where provided.
For the Overground closures, Tube services or local bus routes are the recommended alternatives. Specific bus diversions are in place for the Canada Water station closure, with passengers directed to bus route C10 from Rotherhithe or routes 188, N199, and 47 from Surrey Quays.
With a perfect storm of rail engineering works and bus strikes, Londoners are urged to leave extra time for their journeys this weekend and to monitor the TfL website and social media channels for real-time updates.
