Londoners have just survived a record-breaking heatwave when the final boss is already around the corner – a wave of summer strikes. Commuters are bracing for disruption just days after enduring sweaty journeys on the London Underground during the heat blast as Tube drivers' strike by members of the RMT union is set to go ahead in June. While next week's Tube strike will not run throughout the week unlike the April walkouts, Transport for London has warned of changes to journeys. Once the Tube walkout wraps up, several buses in east London will be affected by a strike in a dispute over fatigue and schedules.
When is the next Tube strike?
At the moment, the strike is set to go ahead as planned on Tuesday, June 2, and on Thursday, June 4. Here are the times on both days:
- Tuesday 2 June from 00:01 to 23:59
- Thursday 4 June from 00:01 to 23:59
Early-birds should note that the Tube will have limited service before 6.30am on both of these days. Journeys should be completed before 9pm on strike days, TfL's latest advice says.
What about the affected routes?
No service is expected on the entire Circle and Piccadilly lines. The stretch of Metropolitan line between Baker Street and Aldgate will be out of action, along with the Central line between White City and Liverpool Street station. Service levels will vary, so passengers will have to keep a close eye on the TfL Go app and use the journey planner on the day. The good news for commuters is that normal service is expected on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
What London transport is running next week?
If you are within reach of the Elizabeth line, Overground, DLR or the tram, they will be running as normal, although services will be rammed. Buses are also running, but they will be packed, as they tend to be during strikes when commuters look for alternatives. Other options include rental bikes like Santander, Lime and Forest. In April, strikelists filled the London cycle lanes as thousands of people hit the road during the walkout, making the capital look more like Amsterdam.
When is the bus strike in June?
The bus drivers' strike by members of Unite the union is set to go ahead from Thursday, June 11, until Sunday, June 14. More than 300 drivers working for Stagecoach-linked firm East London Bus & Coach Company will walk out. This will impact routes 8, N8, 25, N25, 45, 205, N205 and 425.
Why are the strikes happening?
Strikes were slated for May, but the action was called off at the 11th hour. The row comes down to a disagreement over condensing the hours of a five-day working week into four days across longer shifts, which RMT opposes, while TfL has said the arrangement would be voluntary. The union said this would have consequences for drivers' welfare, which led to the strikes being called. Aslef, another union for Tube drivers, is said to have accepted TfL's proposal. The bus strike, which is entirely separate from the Tube action, stems from a disagreement over concerns about scheduling and rotas. Drivers are saying they are causing severe fatigue, compounded by alleged long journeys without proper breaks, and not having enough rest time between shifts. Stagecoach has said its schedules and rotas are compiled strictly within the law.
