Transport for London has officially confirmed the specific London Underground lines that will face closures during the upcoming industrial action, warning passengers to prepare for significant disruption across the network.
Strike Dates and Impact
The first 24-hour strike is scheduled to begin at midday on Tuesday, April 21, with a second strike planned between Thursday, April 23 and Friday, April 25. During these periods, most Tube lines are expected to operate with substantial disruption, with services running less frequently and likely to be extremely crowded.
Lines Facing Complete or Partial Closure
The Piccadilly line will be hardest hit due to having the highest proportion of drivers who are members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union participating in the walkout. TfL has confirmed the Circle line will be unable to operate at all as the transport authority prioritizes busier sections of the network.
Additional partial closures include:
- The Metropolitan line between Aldgate and Baker Street
- The Central line between Liverpool Street and White City
The Hammersmith and City line largely covers the same section of track expected to close on the Metropolitan line, while the Elizabeth line remains completely unaffected by the strikes and can serve as an alternative for some Central line passengers.
Alternative Transport Options
Passengers are advised to consider using DLR, Elizabeth line, London Overground, and bus services, which will continue operating normally during the strikes. However, these alternative services are expected to be much busier than usual due to the Tube line closures.
Commuters in East London should be aware of additional disruption on Friday, April 24, when bus strikes will affect routes 8, 25, 205, 425, N8, N25, and N205 simultaneously with the Tube walkouts.
Strike Timeline and Service Expectations
Tuesday, April 21 and Thursday, April 23:
- Morning: Normal services expected until mid-morning
- Late morning: Some disruption as services begin reducing ahead of strike action
- After midday: Significant disruption expected on all lines
Wednesday, April 22 and Friday, April 24:
- Morning: Significant disruption expected on all lines
- After midday: Continued disruption throughout afternoon and evening as services return to normal
- Evening: Normal service expected to resume
Background to the Industrial Action
Tube drivers who are members of the RMT union voted to strike over TfL's plans to condense the current 36-hour, five-day working week into 35 hours across four days. The union supports maintaining the four-day week but wants hours reduced to 32 to account for fatigue caused by what they describe as a high-pressure job.
TfL Chief Operating Officer Claire Mann has stated that the union's proposal is unaffordable and would cost tens of millions of pounds. Neither side has provided updates on negotiation progress with the first strike scheduled to begin in just four days.
The current strikes represent only the beginning of planned industrial action, with RMT members having also voted to walk out on four additional dates in May and June if the dispute remains unresolved.
